Pain Managment and Addiction

There is hope for people who suffer from chronic pain and fear chemical dependency or ineffective pain management. Chronic pain is a serious health problem confronting many today. The pain is often disabling and there are few alternatives for those seeking help. As a result, many people become addicted to the medications they are using to help manage their chronic pain. Many people relapse and die of addiction as a result of untreated—or mistreated— chronic pain and addiction conditions.

Successful pain management in the recovering addict provides primary care physicians with unique challenges. Pain control can be achieved in these individuals if physicians follow basic guidelines such as those put forward by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations in their standards for pain management as well as by the World Health Organization in their stepladder approach to pain treatment. Legal concerns with using pain medications in addicted patients can be dealt with by clear documentation of indication for the medication, dose, dosing interval, and amount provided. Terms physicians need to be familiar with include physical dependence, tolerance, substance abuse, and active versus recovering addiction.