Pain Medications Can Hurt You, Too...

A very traditional part of medicine follows the logic that medication is the first resort for pretty much every medical condition known to man.  This was a widely accepted practice for many years. For patients, it became pretty much expected that a visit to the doctor entailed a brief exam to evaluate the patient's complaint, followed by a prescription for some medication to treat said medical condition.

In more recent years, the medical community has learned from the flaws in this logic.  For example, after treating patient after patient with antibiotics for minor infection, we have fallen victim to "super bugs"--strains of bacteria that are resistant to most, if not all, antibiotics.  We have learned that it's better to find other approaches to the more minor infections, allowing the body to heal itself and develop a stronger immune system.

In that same vein, chronic pain conditions fell into the same logic process.  Long acting opioid products used over long periods of time,were initially purported as wonder drugs for those in chronic pain. They became widely prescribed and widely used.  While this treatment is appropriate for some patients in some situations, it became so widely used that things got a bit out of control. While many patients experience pain relief from these medications,  we are now facing an epidemic in terms of opioid and heroin abuse. And it all began with this flawed line of reasoning.

Even over the counter products such as acetaminophen, aspirin (and other NSAIDs such as ibuprofen) can be dangerous.  It's not uncommon for health care professionals to recommend them as first line treatment in acute injury...but if used for too long a time period, or with certain other medications, or too frequently...they can have dangerous consequences. Did you know that acetaminophen is the leading cause of liver failure in the US?  Or that using aspirin or other NSAIDs can lead to GI bleed or heart or kidney damage--especially when used in conjunction with certain other medications?

It's really a good thing that the medical community has begun to accept more alternative/conservative treatment measures for those who have been injured and/or go on to develop chronic pain.  Chronic pain should be addressed, and no one should have to live in pain...but keep in mind that pain medications can hurt you too.

Sources: huffingtonpost;rxlist; drugwatch.com;pixabay