Opioids For Managing Chronic Pain - 1186 Words

Until October 2014, it was illegal to dispose of opioids except to flush them down the toilet or transport them to a law enforcement agency. The DEA now allows disposal of unused or expired controlled substances at pharmacies and hospitals with special containers for safely storing the drugs. You can find these locations at http://www.DisposeMyMeds.org. Also, the DEA sponsors the National Prescription Drug Take-Back Initiative. In 2014, some 780,000 pounds of controlled medications were collected under this program (http://1.usa.gov/1mRQ8Rn). I liked the way opioids made me feel when I was taking for chronic pain, but became addicted. Can I still use them if I don’t overdo it? This is a slippery slope, with a much greater likelihood of falling then staying upright. Slowly, but surely, you are far more likely to again use more than you had planned, once again finding you can’t control the amount you use. They are now many alternatives to opioids for managing chronic pain. See a pain specialist to review options. Do your best not to restart narcotics. My doctor told me I needed to stop smoking cigarettes. Why is that if cigarettes are legal? Cigarette smoking is an enormous health problem. Nicotine is highly psychologically addictive. For recovery from opioid addiction, it is important to be free from all addictive substances, whether they are legal or illegal. And yes, I include marijuana and nicotine. I emphasize this concept in treatment, and many healthcare providers shareShow MoreRelatedThe Opioid Crisis1148 Words   |  5 Pagesbeen caught up in the opioid epidemic. About 60 percent of those returning from deployments in the Middle East, and 50 percent of older veterans suffer from chronic pain, according to Veterans Affairs officials. That’s compared to about 30 percent of Americans nationwide. Veterans face a double-edged threat: Untreated chronic pain can increase the risk of suicide, but poorly managed opioid regimens can also be fatal. Veterans are twice as likely to die from accidental opioid overdoses than non-veteransRead MoreOpioids : A Wicked Addiction1102 Words   |  5 PagesAddiction Opioids, otherwise known as prescription pain medication, are used to treat acute and chronic pain. They are the most powerful pain relievers known. When taken as directed they can be safe and effective at managing pain, however, opioids can be highly addictive. Ease of access helps people get pain medications through their physician or by having friends and family get the medication for them. With their ease of access and being highly addictive the use and misuse of opioids have becomeRead MoreOpioid Induced Hyperalgesia ( Oih )1532 Words   |  7 PagesPain medications result in complicated side effects beyond addiction and tolerance which is Opioid-Induced Hyperalgesia (OIH). â€Å"There’s an unfortunate irony for people who rely on morphine, oxycodone, and other opioid painkillers: The drug that’s supposed to offer you relief can actually make you more sensitive to pain over time† (â€Å"Why Taking Morphine Makes Pain Worse†, 2016). This effect o f the drug is known as hyperalgesia but in the presence of opioids; this is known as Opioid-induced hyperalgesiaRead MoreSymptoms And Treatment Of Patients1121 Words   |  5 Pagesdevelopment of pain and attributed their pain to surgery (Table 2). Eight blocks were performed on the left side, 12 on the right side, and 25 bilateral. One patient missed the follow-up, 9 blocks were reported to be ineffective (3 patients in this group were labelled opioid seekers), and 6 patients reported ongoing improvement. The procedure improved pain in 79.5% of the performed blocks. At presentation, 17 patients reported some gastrointestinal symptoms in addition to the chronic abdominal pain, whileRead MoreThe Ethical Issues Of The Undiagnosed Pain Scenario1727 Words   |  7 PagesPain is an immanent aspect of life; it is protective, provoking innate survival mechanisms in response to a perceived threat. As such, it is often associated with extremes of emotion, designed to protect the individual during times of bodily stress (Savage, 2008). However, the underlying cause of such pain is not always readily elucidated. Devoid of objective measures or obvious underlying pathology, the physician is reliant on the patient’s perception of their pain to govern treatment. When suchRead MoreNursing Management Of A Patient Who I Have Looked After During My Placement1407 Words   |  6 Pagesmanagement in patient’s outcome has been highlighted. The main problems have been identified and their links have been associated with the overall nursing management. Her main issues were identified as management of type 2 diabetes, wound care and pain management and they have been discussed at greater extent. The nursing contribution in interdisciplinary care of the patient has also been discussed briefly. Assessment is the first step of patient management in nursing. Assessment and managementRead MoreOpioid Abuse Essay1809 Words   |  8 PagesOpioid Abuse In the current health trends, complimentary alternative medicine has been used to control musculoskeletal pain such as back and neck pain, joint pain and arthritis. The Department of Veteran Affairs has been exploring different alternatives for the veterans with controlling noncancerous chronic pain versus the frequent use of opioids drugs. Complimentary alternative medicine practices have become more apparent and useful within the healthcare system. First, this paper will discuss theRead MorePrescription Pain Medications Are Supposed To Improve The1225 Words   |  5 PagesPrescription pain medications are supposed to improve the health and well-being of an individual. Oxycontin, an opioid drug, is meant to help people manage their pain symptoms; however, many people are unaware that there is a danger of abuse of receiving drugs prescribed by their physicians. The essays â€Å"How to Create an Addiction† and â€Å"Erin Daly: OxyWatchdog† by Cynthia Andrzejczyk explore the problem of prescription drugs in the United States. Since 1999, prescription drug epidemic in the UnitedRead MoreSubstance Abuse Therapy : Ambulatory Care Settings1181 Words   |  5 Pagesshould be utilized in discerning safe detoxification on an outpatient basis. Medications are used to manage different areas of the substance abuse detoxification process. Commonly abused substances include alcohol, tobacco, stimulant, cannabis and opioids. There are different pharmacotherapies for various types of abused substances. Multiple substance abuses require therapy for each of the drug that is being exploited. For tobacco addiction, over-the-counter nicotine replacement therapies in theRead MoreConcept Analysis4225 Words   |  17 PagesManagement Focusing on Acute Pain: A Multidisciplinary Concept Analysis The concept of managing acute pain is extremely significant to nursing as pain is one of the most common problems for which patients seek out health care resources. Pain is a complex and abstract concept that encompasses sensory, emotional, psychological, social, and spiritual perceptions of pain that may occur in combination with physical pain. Pain is difficult to describe and often hard to measure; although, most healthcare