How the Opiate Crisis Has Affected Chronic Pain Sufferers is looked at in this iPain Blog article. The ongoing opiate crisis is a major public health issue that has claimed thousands of lives. Since the 1990s, this medication has been overprescribed and heavily misused. But while the root cause of the epidemic is usually attributed to the overprescription of painkillers by doctors, it is also important to remember that some patients depend on supervised opiate use as a solution for their chronic pain.
For legitimate opiate users, the drug epidemic has had a major impact on their treatment. As regulations rise, some patients are struggling to access the medication they need, while others are turning to alternative options for alleviating chronic pain. Keep reading to learn more specifics about how the opiate crisis has affected chronic pain sufferers.
Increased regulation of opiate prescriptions
To reduce the misuse of opiates, many local and national government bodies have enacted strict regulations and official guidelines to stem overprescription. For example, in the United States, the Center for Disease Control (CDC) explicitly states that opiates are not a preferred treatment for chronic pain. Dosage limits are also enforced in most states.
As a result of growing restrictions around the world, chronic pain sufferers are often unable to access the medication they need. At the same time, alternative pain treatment options (like physical therapy) are often hard to access, whether or not patients have insurance. This has led some chronic pain patients to turn to the black market for solutions.
Current guidelines do allow physicians to prescribe opiates when it’s the most humane and effective choice. However, since they also encourage medical professionals to view opioids as a secondary option, patients still run into roadblocks when trying to get opiate prescriptions for their legitimate pain.
Growing stigma in the medical field
The crackdowns on opioids have also led many physicians to fear the legal ramifications of prescribing these drugs, as well as the administrative burdens that come with prescriptions. Increasingly, chronic pain sufferers are experiencing poor treatment due to the stigma behind opioid use. One study found that 43% of medical practices were unwilling to see patients who were seeking opioids, even if they confirmed they were accepting new patients.
As the opiate crisis tarnished the reputation of the medication, chronic pain sufferers are finding it more difficult to find compassionate medical providers who are willing to evaluate their needs.
When they are treated by doctors, many legitimate opioid users feel suspected of drug abuse due to the screenings they need to complete. Plus, doctors sometimes have a hard time completing prescriptions themselves, since many pharmacies require extra patient information to do so. It’s not uncommon for opioid users to experience delays in prescriptions, which can worsen their patient experience.
Additional reliance on non-opioid treatments
While regulations have led to more suffering for some chronic pain patients, it has also resulted in the exploration of new, less addictive methods for pain management. Some patients have found success with non-drug therapies like acupuncture and newer innovations like electric signals and nerve block injections. As the world transitions toward healthier medical treatments, chronic pain patients may find more effective options for treatment that don’t put them at risk for addiction.
However, it’s important to emphasize that insurance coverage for non-drug treatments can be highly inconsistent. For some patients, the most affordable and effective option is choosing opiates or alternate prescription drugs for pain management, which can be just as addictive. As a result, progression toward safer options may be limited for chronic pain patients.
The rise of medical marijuana
One natural opiate alternative that’s seeing booming interest is medical marijuana, with sales topping $216 million in Colorado alone. Now legalized for medical use in the majority of states, marijuana is proven to relieve chronic pain for about 80% of patients. Doctors and chronic pain sufferers are increasingly turning to medical marijuana as a solution as the risks of opiates continues to come to light.
For chronic pain patients, the rise of medical marijuana is one of the positives that has come out of the controversies behind opiate use. Using cannabis as medicine has proven to be much more effective than prescription drugs (in a study that largely included opiates) for the majority of patients, while leading to far fewer side effects, too.
Chronic pain treatment is changing
For decades, the prescription of opioids has simultaneously led to a public health crisis and proved necessary for chronic pain sufferers. In an attempt to decrease addiction and fatalities, regulators are putting guidelines into place to minimize opiate prescriptions — a move that’s making it more difficult for chronic pain patients to receive quality care.
On the bright side, the unavailability of opiate prescriptions has led many chronic pain patients to seek easier, more natural medication options like marijuana. As doctors and patients become warier of opiates, chronic pain sufferers may end up with even better non-drug treatment plans.
Blog Author: Indiana Lee
Blog Publisher: International Pain Foundation, iPain
