Pain Medications
Pain has become the most common reason that people see doctors - Deepak Chopra
image by: Davor Birt
HWN Suggests
Finally, proof: opioids are no better than other medications for some chronic pain
Krebs is the lead author on the first randomized trial, comparing chronic pain patients on prescription opioids (like morphine, hydrocodone, and oxycodone) to patients on non-opioid painkillers (like acetaminophen or Tylenol, naproxen, or meloxicam), measuring their pain intensity and function over the course of a year.
The striking result was that the patients on opioids did no better than those taking the opioid alternatives — despite the much higher risk profile of opioids. At one year, the opioid takers even reported being in slightly more pain compared to the non-opioid group.
“I think this is going to shake things up,” said Roger Chou, a professor at Oregon Health and Science…
Resources
How True Is the ‘Painkiller’ Story? Explore the Research Behind the Series
Limited series Painkiller charts some of the origins of the opioid crisis. Though the tense drama is a fictionalized retelling of events, its foundation is extensive research.
Pain isn’t just physical: why many are using painkillers for emotional relief
People who use painkillers for non-medical reasons redefine pain according to colloquial uses of the word. They often justify their use as being a form of self-medication for legitimate conditions such as depression, anxiety and stress.
Pain Killers
The causes and consequences of America's opioid epidemic unfold in this drama following its perpetrators, victims and an investigator seeking the truth.
Should you take Tylenol, Advil, or aspirin for pain? Here's what the evidence says.
For ongoing (or chronic) pain — a sore lower back, say, or the kind of degenerative arthritis that typically develops with age — ibuprofen still outperforms acetaminophen.
Why different painkillers are only effective for certain types of pain
f you want to effectively control your pain, you will need to match your medication to its type and severity.
Painkillers - The Drugging of Generation Rx
Prescription drugs bring relief from illness and pain BUT they come with a price...drug dependence and even death. Can we turn it around?
A Better Way to Approach Pain, and America's Pain-Pill Epidemic
How did we get here? The pain-relieving properties of opium have been known for thousands of years, but because of its dangerous side effects and addictive properties, it has generally been reserved for more severe forms of acute pain. This changed in the mid-'90s when doctors became more lax about prescribing opioids over a longer period of time.
Could Medical Cannabis Break the Painkiller Epidemic?
A body of research suggests yes, but scientists are having to fight red tape to study whether medical marijuana could substitute for opioid drugs.
How Bad is the Opioid Epidemic?
The opioid epidemic has been called the worst drug crisis in American history. Death rates now rival those of AIDS during the 1990s, and with overdoses from heroin and other opioids now killing more than 27,000 people a year, the crisis has led to urgent calls for action. The epidemic didn’t happen overnight.
How do you treat pain when most of the world's population can't get opioids?
In the United States, where doctors write more than 250 million prescriptions for painkillers a year, the frequency of abuse and overdose represents a public health crisis. More than 15,000 Americans died from an overdose of prescription opioids in 2013.
Over-the-Counter Pain Relief: Caution, Common Sense on All Drugs
The next time you decide to gulp down a few of those nonprescription drugs know this: all pain relievers — whether sold by prescription or over-the-counter — can pose risks.
The Heart Perils of Pain Relievers
Occasional use of Nsaids is not likely to lead to cardiovascular consequences. But an authoritative and ambitious new analysis that included data from over 600 trials, including detailed case histories of more than 350,000 patients, concludes that people who take high doses of Nsaids daily increase their cardiovascular risk by as much as a third, compared with those taking a placebo. The one exception is naproxen, which may actually have a protective effect against heart attacks.
What You Don’t Know About Pain Medications Can Hurt You
As a pain management specialist, I field various questions about pain medications. What does the new NSAID warning mean? Is it OK to drink alcohol while I’m on Tylenol? Is OxyContin safe to take long-term? Well, I’m glad you asked.
Opioid Addiction Is Both Medical and Financial
Over the last few years opioids have gotten a lot of bad press. But is profit motive more to blame than the drug itself?
Finally, proof: opioids are no better than other medications for some chronic pain
A first-of-its-kind study compared opioids to non-opioid drugs in patients with persistent back pain or hip or knee osteoarthritis. Its results are devastating.
TurnTheTideRx
We, as clinicians, are uniquely positioned to turn the tide on the opioid epidemic - U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy.
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