The opioid pandemic has received a lot of attention over the last few years. Opioids were commonly prescribed to help people manage both short term and chronic pain, but the addictive and dangerous qualities of this class of medication have possibly created even more problems than they have solved.
Finding methods to help control the number of opioid prescriptions that are being created and keep people safe–all while managing their symptoms–is an essential part of helping people to live a higher quality of life as they age.
Past research indicates that about one in ten people that are prescribed opioids for legitimate reasons go on to develop some sort of dependence issue in the future. Unfortunately, this problem continues to exist. It has the potential to do far more damage than the issue that it is prescribed to treat.
Recently, a research project worked on identifying people at risk of developing chronic pain early on, and then putting supports in place to see if it was possible to protect these individuals from opioid dependence. The researchers used a brief survey to identify those that were at risk. The survey consisted of just two questions. The first question was focused on the individual’s perception of their pain, asking if it seemed like it was never going to get better and that they would need to deal with it for the rest of their life. The second question focused on whether or not they had used drugs or alcohol in the past to take their mind off of pain.
The individuals that answered “yes” to both questions–about 12 percent of respondents–were steered toward holistic intervention to try and help them avoid opioid prescriptions while still having the support needed to manage their pain.
The research comes out of the Duke University Medical Center. The team published their findings in the New England Journal of Medicine Catalyst. It’s a good step in the right direction when it comes to minimizing people’s dependence on opioids while still helping them to live a higher quality of life and manage their pain symptoms.
This is good news. There are alternatives out there and over the long run, this will have a positive impact on the lives of people and help prevent dependence and addiction in the future. However, there’s a long way to go before the opioid pandemic is resolved.
Chronic pain is not easy to deal with. If you or a loved one are dealing with this, please speak to a doctor. Working closely with a team that understands your needs and can help provide guidance will help to ensure that a better outcome is attained. You don’t have to deal with this on your own.
There are a lot of resources out there that can help you and your family get the supports needed to make sure that elderly loved ones can thrive as they age. Even if disabilities or chronic pain are present.
If you’re unsure of where to start, please feel free to get in touch with us. We would be happy to talk more.
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