The Potential Power – and Potential
Problem – of Powerful Painkillers
By Jon-Paul Harmer, M.D.
CEO and Medical Director, Lone Star Pain Medicine, PLLC
When a patient is suffering from chronic pain, they
typically want relief and they want it fast. That’s why
some people are disappointed when their physician
doesn’t immediately write them a prescription for highdose narcotics. “My pain is real, so why doesn’t my
doctor just give me the pills I need to feel better?,” they
may ask.
As I’ve stated before, one of the hazards of specializing in the treatment of chronic pain is addressing the
stereotypical belief that all pain-management approaches start and stop with narcotic medications. The truth
is, many of today’s state-of-the-industry approaches
to managing chronic pain comprise far more – diet,
exercise, physical therapy, individualized interventional
procedures – than just narcotic drugs and suggest that
a more holistic approach to treating pain may provide
longer-term relief.
More important? Recent research suggests that the
long-term use of narcotics may actually make chronic
pain worse, setting some patients on the path not just for
potential addiction but, possibly, increased pain. Let me
be clear: I’m not saying narcotics are, in and of themselves, bad or ineffective medicine. I am saying that
there may be risks with high-dose narcotics – and many
responsible physicians work with patients to avoid
potential problems associated with high-dose narcotics
and the long-term use of more powerful painkillers.
The potential for hope
Many pain-management specialists work closely
with patients to explore a broad range of appropriate
interventional procedures, tailored specifically to each
patient’s specific needs. Depending upon the patient,
medication may play an important role in therapeutic
treatment – but in light of recent warnings over possible
side effects of even over-the-counter pain relievers, consulting a board-certified physician may be your best first
step to getting the expert help that specifically addresses
your unique pain.
At Lone Star Pain Medicine (www.lonestarpain.com),
we understand that pain is often influenced by a broad
range of biomedical, psychological and social/environmental factors. In line with these, we offer accurate
diagnostic services and compassionate care.
At Lone Star Pain Medicine, everything we do is
designed to identify, and, then, work with you to relieve
your pain and regain functionality. It’s a custom-tailored
approach to patient care that begins with a single phone
call – and one which cannot be found just in a prescription bottle or over the counter.
PA R K E R C O U N T Y T O D AY
Jon-Paul Harmer, M.D., is board-certified in anesthesiology and
pain management, and serves as the CEO and medical director of
Weatherford-based Lone Star Pain Medicine, PLLC (www.lonestarpain.
com), a center for excellence in the treatment of pain disorders committed to the recovery of function and the restoration of wellbeing.
OCTOBER 2015
Can pills become the problem?
To understand how a prescription might make a
problem worse, it’s important to understand the way
many narcotics operate. Many painkillers work by
attaching themselves to the body’s natural endorphin
receptors, stimulating them to produce pain relief. Take
them long enough, however, and, as reported in the
New York Times on June 2013, in an article titled “The
Problem with Pills,” the brain may begin to decrease
its own natural production of endorphins. According to
the report, without natural endorphins, a patient may
become reliant upon the narcotic simply to avoid withdrawal and feel normal.
Along the same lines, the report indicates that, once
a patient begins taking narcotics on a long-term basis,
the body may lose at least some of its ability to determine which signals are truly painful and which are not,
serving to put the body in a constant state of alarm –
triggering not just physical, but emotional distress. And,
for many patients, this effect may be compounded by a
litany of potential side effects stated by the manufacturers of many of these drugs, including the alteration of
sleep patterns, memory and judgment.
If you’ve already been taking narcotics regularly to
address chronic pain, it may be worth speaking with
a doctor about a fresh approach to pain management
that goes beyond simple medication. For many patients, effective pain management can be addressed by
a board-certified physician who truly appreciates that
you and your pain are unique. Physicians who know
that effective pain treatments should be custom-tailored
to your individual needs, and may comprise a variety of
approaches – from exercise to dietary changes to, yes,
sometimes, responsibly prescribed medication.
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