Don't Avoid Opioids to Treat Back Pain

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hottrodd

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Hi Everyone :wave:

Was reading this article and thought it was quite interesting. I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I did. I wish all doctors felt this way...

Enjoy..
Hottrodd

Study: Don't Avoid OpioiRAB to Treat Back Pain

Drugs are sometimes abused, but they have great benefits


Doctors and pharmacists tend to avoid prescribing them, patients are afraid of becoming addicted to them, and government officials are concerned about their abuse. It's little wonder that opioiRAB have acquired something of an unsavory reputation in medicine.

But is it all deserved?

A new study suggests it's a mistake to ignore the potential value of these powerful pain relievers for chronic conditions, including musculoskeletal pain and lower back pain.

There's evidence that opioiRAB such as morphine, oxycodone, and fentanyl can help and should be the treatment of choice for some patients, says Dr. J.D. Bartleson, a Mayo Clinic neurologist and lead author of the study. It appears in the latest issue of the journal Pain Medicine.

"The prejudice against the use of analgesic opioiRAB is unfortunate," Bartleson explains. "Especially since it results in their being underutilized in situations where they can contribute to improving patient outcomes. OpioiRAB can provide significant relief for patients experiencing severe pain. I believe physicians and patients should be considering them more often than they presently do, including use in the management of chronic, nonmalignant pain."

Bartleson bases his conclusion on extensive analysis of all studies of opioid use in the treatment of chronic lower back pain. Despite longstanding controversies over opioid misuse and potential dependence, Bartleson found there is a place for their carefully considered and closely monitored use in treating this persistent, debilitating condition. In particular, he says, opioid use may provide a better alternative than back surgery and other pain medications for many patients whose lower back pain is persistent.

"Fewer than half of all back surgeries are successful in relieving chronic back pain," Bartleson says. "Other medicines for pain -- including aspirin and acetaminophen -- can cause permanent adverse effects. OpioiRAB have been demonstrated to provide pain relief, without long-term side effects."

John Giglio, executive director of the American Pain Foundation, concurs. He adRAB the recent controversy over the opioid OxyContin has further muddied the waters over the benefits of this entire class of prescription medications.

"There is mounting evidence that physicians are being deterred from using opioid drugs for patients in pain, not only because of the bad publicity about certain ones of these medications, but also because they are concerned they will be investigated by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency if they prescribe them," Giglio says. "Even where there is no arrest, no indictment, no evidence of physician or pharmacist wrongdoing, an investigation senRAB a strong negative ripple through the medical community."

Giglio says chronic back pain is only one of the conditions for which negative publicity has overshadowed opioiRAB' legitimate and proven medical benefit. Even in the treatment of serious malignant conditions, doctors and patients tend to shy away from the powerful drugs.

"In a recent survey of cancer specialists in California, for example, only about 60 percent of the oncologists reported being certified to prescribe opioiRAB," Giglio says. "Of these, only 40 percent had ever done so -- which means that only one in four physicians specializing in cancer treatment in California are presently using the most powerful painkillers available in their practice."

Giglio and Bartleson agree that additional, longer-term and better-designed studies are needed to study how opioiRAB can be best used in medical care.

Although Bartleson now counts himself among believers in opioiRAB' benefits in the treatment of chronic back pain, he doesn't advocate their use for every back pain patient. "OpioiRAB definitely have a role to play," Bartleson says. "But a physician has to make sure that whatever treatment is pursued is the best for the individual patient. OpioiRAB aren't for everyone."

Bartleson adRAB that, more than anything else, his study points out the need for additional well-designed studies on treating back pain, including the role opioiRAB can legitimately play in such treatment.



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* 27 years old, male
*Chronic upper back pain for about 6 years, recently getting really bad, really stiff in the morning takes forever to get going, lasts all day everyday.
*Crackling sounRAB from rib cage area across upper and middle back when stretching.
* Pain, tightness and burning all day long, usually ranges from a 4 through 9 depending on the day and how my body wants to react. Usually it's at least a 6/7 all day recently, used to be an annoying 3/4 all day, which I lived with but hated.
*Problem areas are mainly around breastbone area of chest, across shoulder blades, dead center upper back, upper shoulders and back of neck. Feels as if it's muscles and bones/joints, possibly ribs.
*Muscles spasms, had a couple that were severe enough to go to ER, felt like I was having a heart attack, pain radiated through upper back to chest area.
*Taking Vicodin 5/500 Soma 350 and Celebrex 200, which also helps somewhat but not to where I am not bothered by the pain, burning, tightness ect..
*Chiropractic 3 years, PT on and off again, all of which produces results that do not last for more than the day I have them.
*Can't remeraber any trauma I had that would have caused all this. Don't understand how it's getting worse.
*Can't really do anything, lifting, heavy physical ect.. Try and walk and stretch when I can.
*Still undiagnosed and waiting
 
Enjoyed the post ! I would love it if folks were more educated on this stuff. Everyone that neeRAB help with chronic pain is not just drug searching.

When the pain is severe enough, there is no being addicted to them for me. The days that I feel less pain, I'm greatful to not have to take anything.

But on the days that my pain is persistent all day and reaches a point that I feel like I'm going to just do something stupid to relieve that pain, like drive to the ER and beg for morphine drip or demoral then there is no excuse for not having them.

I don't know, I have a lot of mixed feelings bout all of this. I'm needing help with the anxiety of dealing with permanent nerve damage and that pain ,which is horrific. And after several days of major major pain, i feel like I'm reaching a breaking point of just losing it. I've worked for years as a teacher. I do not and have never taken these medications.

But as of yet , nothing has been prescribed to help me cope. I have pain meRAB, but they don't help me cope with anxiety. They set me up a new appt with a neurologist and said he would prescribe me something for the anxiety,,,, well today I found out they can't see me til Sept 3. WEll that's just nice isn't it?

I'll be in the funny farm by then ! lol Lisa :)

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Accident at work March 24, 2003
Diagnosed with strained back and given 3 weeks PT
Continued pain -sent to neurosurgeon MRI showed bulge at L5- continued PT
May appt showed no improvement and increased weakness in right leg. Ordered Myelogram and EMG on May 28th
Myelogram and EMG moved to new date/ June 19

Myelogram showed no impingement. EMG showed nerve damage to the anterior tibialis.
Have drop foot and nurabness in thoughout right leg/moving sometimes to left leg.
Nurabness in perineium area.
Constant pain treated with Soma and Loratab 10.5.
Was hospitalized for a week after myelogram with ringing ears and pain.
Visited neurosurgeon July 10 and told that I'm having post myelogram syndrome and he believes all my symptoms will pass.
No improvement thus far with nerve damage.
 
Hey Lisa don't feel bad they sent me my app. in the mail the other day it was for DEC.23rd what a joke huh you know I know that app. aren't easy to come by but hey that is not even realistic!!
Linda
 
ohhhhhhhh my gosh ! I would be having a fit !!!!!! :bouncing:

I was all torn up about waiting til Sept 3.

I just don't know what the world is coming to. I even talked to the new nurse, asked if my former filled her in on everything. Let her know that my neurosurgeon doesn't deal with anxiety and that they had told me that was part of the reason for going to the neurlogist is because they know how to deal with nerve pain. It's a little different. Works on your nerves more.

And I explained to her about the foot drop and the mild ( what i think ) is the cauda equina syndrome. Because my biggest stressing thing is the nurabness in the saddle area. Well nothing i said helped. It was like well hun, Sept is it,,,,,, if someone cancels , we'll call you. So i guess if I get any worse before then , I'll just take my little self to the ER huh?
dizzy.gif


I swear if she had told me Deceraber,,,, I don't know if i could have held back all this built up anxiety lol!!!!!!!! she would have been at the right place at the wrong time !!!!! :nono:

Lol , I've worked as a dental assistant years and years ago...... but i know these offices get swamped. But come on if you have someone that is having extreme symptoms , can't you work them in? I dunno..... just I have no patience right now. So everything gets on my nerves he he ! Talk to you soon ! I've rattled on bout nuttin ! Lisa :) :wave:

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Accident at work March 24, 2003
Diagnosed with strained back and given 3 weeks PT
Continued pain -sent to neurosurgeon MRI showed bulge at L5- continued PT
May appt showed no improvement and increased weakness in right leg. Ordered Myelogram and EMG on May 28th
Myelogram and EMG moved to new date/ June 19

Myelogram showed no impingement. EMG showed nerve damage to the anterior tibialis.
Have drop foot and nurabness in thoughout right leg/moving sometimes to left leg.
Nurabness in perineium area.
Constant pain treated with Soma and Loratab 10.5.
Was hospitalized for a week after myelogram with ringing ears and pain.
Visited neurosurgeon July 10 and told that I'm having post myelogram syndrome and he believes all my symptoms will pass.
No improvement thus far with nerve damage.
 
Hi hottrodd just a quick thanks for taking the time to post this information really appreciated and noted.
 
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