FDA Changes Course on Pain Management Policy

While we await a final autopsy findings on Prince's cause of death, People magazine reports that
he was being treated for addiction just prior to his demise. Sadly, bad things happen to good people..and whether or not Prince's death is related to this issue, it brings the topic of addiction front and center.

The Washington Post recently reported that there were 52 deaths per day in 2014 due to opioids. If you do the math, that amounts to almost 190,000 deaths per year! The federal government has recently shown some movement in response to this issue...last month, the CDC released its recommendations for prescribers with respect to opioid usage and prescribing. In the last couple of weeks, the FDA has chimed in. An FDA advisory panel has voted in favor of mandatory opioid prescribing training for physicians.

It's about time something is done. This problem has been ongoing for the last twenty years. There have been many deaths that could have been prevented. There have been far too many problems with opioid addiction, and heroin addiction as well. It's time to stop the madness and move to a better course of action for those who are in pain. They deserve better!

Sources: Washington Post; People; Geograph.org

Comments

Living with Chronic pain hits the big screen!

Been to the movies lately? Jennifer Aniston is on the big screen in a recent release titled "Cake." Her character, Claire is a victim of chronic pain...she belongs to a support group, where all of the members are coming to terms with the suicide of one of their members. Of course, she also takes pain medication and addiction is another of her problems...and of course there's more! I guess I am writing this post just to bring readers' attention to the fact that Hollywood has become aware of the crisis that is chronic pain. This movie is a testament to that. People that don't have to live with this kind of pain don't fully understand the whole story. Maybe this movie will shed some light on the issues. Here is the official trailer for the movie: Sources: prweb;NorthJersey.com;YouTube

The Multimodal Approach to Pain Management

OK..so if you've been following this blog you will notice that there are a good number of ideas to help manage chronic pain. You might ask yourself, "Which one of these ideas is best for me ?" I would suggest that you might try any number of these things, depending on your level of ability/disability, health care team recommendations, and your personal interests. There are a number of reasons for doing this: 1) The patient is in control..with few exceptions, it is your decision what to try/not try and how many different things you want to experiment with at any time. 2) Non drug pain management ideas do not have any of the drug interactions or side effects that medications have. You may have to set limits or modify activity according to personal circumstances, but usually it does not hurt to try any of them. 3)You usually do not need a prescription for most of the ideas I have described. There are a few exceptions, such as physical therapy. There ...

Beware Of The Tick!

It's tick season, everyone! And while we all know about Lyme Disease and its lingering effects, a new problem has entered the scene. According to the CDC, the Powassan virus is another tick-borne disease that has recently been recognized. The CDC says symptoms become apparent anywhere from one week to one month after infection. Symptoms include vomiting, weakness, confusion, loss of coordination, problems with speech and seizures. Approximately half of those infected by this virus have permanent neurological symptoms, which can include muscle wasting, problems with memory, and recurrent headaches. Many people who have been infected with Powassan virus required hospitalization and sometimes even respiratory support (i.e., a respirator). Treatment is focused on supportive measures. In the meantime, preventive measures are the best way to avoid Lyme disease, Powassan virus , or any other tick-borne virus. You can read more about preventive measures by clicking here . Sour...

Everyday pain management ideas

Search This Blog