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The Collateral Damage of the Opioid Epidemic
In the last year, the opioid epidemic has managed to make headlines constantly. Estimates from the HHS say that 115–130 people die from an overdose daily — that’s 40,000 people annually¹.
The DEA has been at the forefront of the opioid crisis — pushing doctors to prescribe fewer opioids to patients. Various state governments have even passed legislation that restricts the number of opioids that can be prescribed as well as what kind of patients can obtain these drugs.
Although these measures have been well-intentioned, they have also left thousands of chronic pain patients without adequate pain relief and treatment.
Opioids are addictive, but also effective
One of the major obstacles that opioids present is that, although they may be addictive, they’re also generally the most effective pain management tool we have. I say generally because there will always be a sliver of the population that doesn’t respond well to opioids or find much more relief in alternative treatments.
But, when it comes down to it, opioids are heavily utilized in the medical industry because they work for most people — and they work effectively. There’s a reason why…
