The opioid epidemic has ravaged the nation, but medicine is fighting back. Doctor is using non-addictive painkillers to treat patients and researchers are developing new treatments that can block the effects of opioids before they reach the brain.
But what's happening in laboratories isn't enough; we need to make sure our homes can be free of opioid addiction too.
Implementing stricter prescription guidelines for opioids
The first step, as you may have heard, is to prescribe opioids only for acute pain. This means that doctors should not be prescribing them as a first-line treatment for chronic pain.
Instead, they should use non-opioid therapies like physical therapy and cognitive behavioural therapy.
The second step is stricter guidelines for prescribing opioids for acute pain--for example, limiting the dose or duration of opioid prescriptions in certain situations (like after surgery).
The third step is monitoring patients who are taking these medications closely so that any signs of misuse or addiction can be detected early on.
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Encouraging the use of alternative pain management techniques
As a doctor, you can help patients take control of their pain by encouraging them to try alternative methods of treatment. These include:
- Physical therapy
- Mindfulness meditation
- Massage therapy
- Acupuncture and dry needling (a form of acupuncture)
You might also recommend yoga or cupping therapy as an option for managing chronic pain. And if your patient has been diagnosed with fibromyalgia or any other condition that causes chronic muscle tension, cold laser therapy may be helpful as well.
Providing resources for addiction treatment and recovery
Doctors can help patients and their families find the resources they need to enter and complete treatment. They can also provide information about addiction and recovery, which may be useful in helping patients understand their condition and what steps to take next.
Doctors have a unique opportunity to help combat the opioid epidemic because of their close relationship with patients.
This relationship allows for conversations about substance use disorder and treatment options that may otherwise be difficult or uncomfortable for people who don't know each other well enough yet--such as family members or friends of those struggling with opioid use disorders (OUDs).
Monitoring patients for signs of opioid misuse or addiction
Monitoring patients for signs of opioid misuse or addiction can be a daunting task. Many doctors are not familiar with the warning signs that indicate a patient may be misusing their medication and end up overlooking them. However, there are some key things to look out for:
- Patients who ask for early refills or request more pills than they need
- A change in behaviour (e.g., mood swings) when they don't have access to their prescribed drugs
- Unusual bruising or bleeding from injection sites; needle marks on arms and legs; track marks from skin popping needles directly into veins.
Conclusion
Doctor is working hard to combat the opioid epidemic. They're implementing stricter prescription guidelines for opioids, encouraging the use of alternative pain management techniques, and providing resources for addiction treatment and recovery.
