Opioid Use for Back Pain…A Serious Lack of Judgement In My Opinion.
If you have ever read any of my previous blog posts or have seen some of the other articles I have written, you undoubtedly know where I stand on the chronic use of medications to deal with back pain. The fact is that medication use for back pain is unproven and it’s not substantiated by the medical literature. Not only that but, in many cases the intended use for the medication prescribed is not for back pain. A new and very dangerous player in the medication approach to back pain is the use of opioids, a very dangerous and highly addictive drug class.
Several recent reports have shown that the use of opioids for back pain has led to a serious increase in the number of injuries and deaths. The benefits of opiods in the long-term treatment of chronic back pain haven’t been documented, but the risks related to this treatment approach are painfully apparent.
In fact the National Drug Intelligence Center (NDIC) recently issued a publication showing that “the number of deaths and treatment admissions involving controlled prescription drugs, particularly prescription opiods, has increased significantly. This problem is becoming so wide spread that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has reported that the #1 cause of death in middle-aged adults is no longer auto accidents, but is now drug poisoning. During 2005-2006, 92% of poisoning deaths involved drugs!
This is all very shocking to say the least…things have to change, and my hope is that many of you will find relief from your back pain without the use of drugs. Non-surgical treatments like spinal decompression really work. This treatment approach provides a long lasting benefit by addressing the cause, not clouding your brain so you don’t realize how bad you are. So the next time you reach for that pill bottle, do yourself a favor and call my office instead.
