Pain Management
Three Minutes to Change the World
Those who follow my work on Linked In, in social media and in medical journals will be aware that I am a sharp critic of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and its 2016 Guideline for Prescribing Opioids for Chronic Pain to adults with chronic non-cancer pain
Read MoreWhite Privilege and People in Pain
If I had been of a different race, would I have been treated with the same compassion? Research today suggests I probably would not have been.
Read MoreWhen Is Healthcare Noble?
What is it about certain medical conditions that results in unprecedented concern, a willingness to muster all resources, and an outpouring of selflessness from practitioners and the public alike? Why are healthcare professionals willing to risk their lives for coronavirus patients, but not their reputations to treat chronic pain?
Read MoreThe Victim of a Created Crisis — Left Behind
There have been just north of 68,000 overdose deaths in the United States in 2018. The largest new healthcare crisis in America.
Read MoreWe Are At War: People With Chronic Pain Must Prepare
Think of COVID-19 as another natural disaster, and anticipate the same potential problems. Begin your planning immediately by talking with your doctor.
Read MoreWhy People Do Not Dispose of Unused Opioids
Many people clearly want to hold onto their unused medications. This is not new. However, the problem may worsen because, more than ever, patients who are in pain fear that they will not be able to get the medication they need.
Read MoreA Veteran’s Story in His Own Words
Policymakers have changed the way patients who have chronic pain are treated. The 2016 CDC Guideline for Prescribing Opioids for Chronic Pain has had a domino effect on policies throughout the country. Unfortunately, veterans have been particularly affected. I have heard of many vets being told they no longer would be prescribed opioids or benzodiazepines.…
Read MoreOpioids Are Not the Only Pain Medications That Can Be Abused
This article, in a slightly edited form, first appeared on Pain News Network on December 7, 2019. Contrary to popular opinion, opioids don’t cause substance abuse. Opioids certainly may be abused, but it is human biology itself that drives drug abuse. We often get the message that any pain treatment would be better than…
Read MoreReplacing Opioids Has Just Been Made Harder
People in pain rely on scientific advances to find safer, more effective alternatives to opioids, and animal research is key to all early drug development. A recent announcement from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) threatens to change that, inhibiting science’s ability to replace opioids and create new life-saving pain interventions.
Read MoreCanadian Survey Repudiates Government Policies Harming People in Pain
It is understandable that politicians want to reduce the harm from inappropriate use of opioids, but it should not be at the expense of people in pain. This is a human rights issue that must not be ignored.
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