*pain and undertreatment of pain
On this page are exerpts from:
| Undertreatment of chronic non cancer pain ~ Pain is often managed inadequately, despite the ready availability of safe and effective treatments |
| "Pain and Suffering in History–Narratives of Science, Medicine and Culture." |
The
Use of Opioids for the Treatment of Chronic Pain:
| Undertreatment of chronic non cancer pain ~ Pain is often managed inadequately, despite the ready availability of safe and effective treatments |
The following are all quotes taken from The
Use of Opioids for the Treatment of Chronic Pain
The undertreatment of pain in today's society is not justified.
There is currently no nationally accepted consensus for the treatment of chronic pain not due to cancer, yet the economic and social costs of chronic pain are substantial, with estimates ranging in the tens of billions of dollars annually. Pain is often managed inadequately, despite the ready availability of safe and effective treatments ~ Pain is one of the most common reasons people consult a physician, yet it frequently is inadequately treated, leading to enormous social cost in the form of lost productivity, needless suffering, and excessive healthcare expenditures. Impediments to the use of opioids include concerns about addiction, respiratory depression and ther side effects, tolerance, diversion, and fear of regulatory action.
|
Fear of inducing respiratory depression is often cited as a factor that limits the use of opioids in pain management. It is now accepted by practitioners of the specialty of pain medicine that respiratory depression induced by opioids tends to be a short-lived phenomenon, generally occurs only in the opioid-naive patient, and is antagonized by pain. Therefore, withholding the appropriate use of opioids from a patient who is experiencing pain on the basis of respiratory concerns is unwarranted. Other side effects, such as constipation, can usually be managed by attention to diet, along with the regular use of stool softeners and laxatives. Sedation and nausea, possible early side effects, usually dissipate with continued use.
|
Current information and experience suggest that many commonly held assumptions need modification. Studies indicate that the de novo development of addiction when opioids are used for the relief of pain is low.
Diversion of controlled substances should be a concern of every health
professional, but efforts to stop diversion should not interfere with
prescribing opioids for pain management.
The mission of the American Pain Society is to serve people in pain by advancing research, education, treatment, and professional practice. The undertreatment of pain in today's society is not justified. This joint consensus statement has been produced pursuant to the missions of both organizations, to help foster a practice environment in which opioids may be used appropriately to reduce needless suffering from pain.
The above are excerpts only. For complete text visit the source at http://www.ampainsoc.org/advocacy/opioids.htm#top
| "Pain and Suffering in History–Narratives of Science, Medicine and Culture." |
In 1998 an exhibit was prepared in conjunction with the Symposium: "Pain and Suffering in History–Narratives of Science, Medicine and Culture." The symposium and the exhibit marked the official dedication of the John C. Liebeskind History of Pain Collection at the Louise M. Darling Biomedical Library, UCLA.
CHN encourages the reader to visit this site - it offers an excellent historical overview of pain ~ it gives a brief background of the doctors and scientists who worked to relieve what Albert Schweitzer called "the most terrible of all the lords of mankind." This site is a good place to start in the study of pain. It also lists additional links.
Here follows the index ~ click to link; To return to CHN you will need to use your back button, or bookmark our site. Thank you.
The above are excerpts only. For complete text visit the source at http://www.library.ucla.edu/libraries/biomed/his/painexhibit/index.html
| Since Feb. 17~2005 you are visitor |
|
Return to
 |
