Heroin and Opioids

For the first time in 20 years, experts are reporting a decrease in the number of written opioid prescriptions. The hope is that this reduction signals a turning point in the opioid epidemic, that perhaps prescription guidelines and warnings about the dangers of addiction are resonating in the medical community. This decrease has not been…

The Community Outreach Addiction Team (COAT) hires individuals in opioid addiction recovery. Their job is to encourage active users to seek treatment and provide a relatable point of reference for those reluctant to stop using. This program is still experimental and currently only in place in Maryland, but if it proves to be effective in…

Fatal drug overdose rates are on the rise, and synthetic opioid “fentanyl” is partially to blame.   What is Fentanyl? Fentanyl is a highly potent opioid analgesic and anesthetic, known commercially as Sublimaze, Durogesic, Duragesic, Fentanyl citrate, PriCara, Lazanda, Nasalfent, Subsys, or Actavis. It is a full, mu-opioid receptor agonist, which means that the drug…

Holistic lifestyle changes such as diet, exercise, meditation, etc., have been shown to improve health and sometimes even reverse certain disorders. As opioid overdoses and fatalities become more commonplace, physicians and patients alike are turning to these alternative/integrative solutions for their medical problems. This is an important shift for mainstream medicine, as the focus has…

Individuals with chronic pain are increasingly demanding alternative/integrative treatments and attempting to avoid opioids when possible. While opioids can be great for short-term use, their long-term potential for addiction is concerning and a major contributing factor in the current opioid crisis. Researchers at the University of Texas at Arlington are working on a new electronic…

Physicians and patients alike have been concerned by the seemingly restrictive opioid prescription guidelines issued recently by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The argument is that the guidelines limit access to prescription painkillers and actually hurt patients who need opioids to stay functional. Authors have been quick to argue back, stating that…

Physicians are being asked to change their practices and their mentalities regarding prescription painkillers. Opioids have revolutionized the way we treat pain in America, but they have also brought on a plethora of dangers and negative consequences. Doctors need to consider each patient’s addiction risk factors and medical needs thoroughly before pulling out the prescription…

Medicine cannot be considered a strictly formulaic field; medical professionals must consider each individual holistically in order to make appropriate decisions regarding opioids. There are physicians on both sides of the spectrum: some are “pill-pushers” who prescribe opioids for every case of pain they encounter, while others are so stingy about prescribing painkillers that they…

The FDA has taken a big step in the fight against opioid overdose, adding black box warnings to immediate release opioid painkillers including oxycodone, hydrocodone, morphine, and other related drugs. These warning labels caution that use leads to an increased risk of abuse, addiction, overdose, and death. The hope is that these warnings will remind…

The Department of Health and Human Services has issued a plan to lessen the prevalence and encumbrance of chronic pain in the United States. The report addresses necessary improvements in the realms of education, prevention, and overall treatment. For example, medical students receive an astoundingly low level of education about pain and prescriber precautions, so…