Should Opioid be used to reduce pain?
Arguments Against
There is an increase in adverse effects, such as death, among users. Opioids have led to an increased number of deaths in the past 20 years in the United States and have spread to other countries such as Canada and Australia. The abuse ranges from the misuse of prescribed opioids to the use of illicit opioid. This results mainly from overdose and addiction from prescribed opioids for pain and those who obtain opioid through theft. Therefore, the drugs administered with the aim of reducing pain have ended up causing deaths. Principles put in place to guide the prescription of opioid are said to wit its ability to provide long-term analgesia (Rivat, Cyril & Ballantyne, Jane, 2016). This means that the negative effects of opioid on one’s health are more than the intended positive effects.
Opioids have no long-term benefits to the patients. Just like any other drug, the initial exposure to might have a long term implication on their general health. When a patient is treated with opioid for relieve of pain, it works well for the initial stages but the patients become tolerant to the drugs and its effects deteriorate. This means that the doses have to be increased for them to serve the purpose of reducing pain. The increased dosage might come with insufficient pain relief and more side effects of the drug (Woodbury, 2015). Therefore, the functionality of opioid is not effective enough to reduce pain.
The use of opioid in relieving chronic pain is high. The use continued use of prescribed opioid and illicit opioid has led to the increased scarcity of the drug and increase in prices. The high dependency rate has been termed as one of the worst setbacks to the economy and a threat to the stability of the public healthcare in general. Researchers have suggested that a better alternative, antibiotic, is established to provide a long-term solution to the pain management ( UT Southwestern Medical Center, 2021).
Arguments in support
Opioid has been very effective in reducing chronic pain. Despite the many negative attributes attached to opioid, it has served its purpose efficiently especially where the doctor and the patient are keen on the required doses (U.S. Department of Health and Human Service, 2019). Government agencies and authorities have put in place relevant measures that promote education and awareness that keep opioid users informed on the dangers of abuse and misuse.
Opioid also alleviates other common distressing physical symptoms such as breathlessness. Therefore, it can be applied at early stages to mitigate such symptoms to reserve the dignity and respect of the suffering patients (WHO, 2020). Also, those suffering from AIDS and other chronic disease experience moderate to severe pain and therefore need opioid to efficiently manage the pain.
Increased access to drugs and information will help un reducing the problems of abuse and misuse of opioid. There is also lack of access to proper pain treatment with patients being subjected to long waits, going up to one year (Lynch & Fischer, 2017). Therefore, if the people are well informed and receive appropriate medical care, there will be reduced adverse effects of opioid and increased efficiency.
References
UT Southwestern Medical Center. (2021, 02 22). Three longtime antibiotics could offer alternative to addictive opioid pain relievers. Retrieved from www.sciencedaily.com: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2021/02/210222192828.htm
Lynch, M., & Fischer, B. (2017). Prescription opioid abuse. Can Fam Physician, 57(11), 1241–1242.
Rivat, Cyril, & Ballantyne, Jane. (2016). The dark side of opioids in pain management: basic science explains clinical observation. PAIN Reports, 1(2).
U.S. Department of Health and Human Service. (2019, 05). Pain Management Best Practices Inter-Agency Task Force Report: Updates, Gaps, Inconsistencies, and Recommendations. Retrieved from U. S. Department of Health and Human Services. Retrieved from www.hhs.gov: https://www.hhs.gov/ash/advisory-committees/pain/reports/index.html
WHO. (2020, 08 05). Palliative Care. Retrieved from www.who.int: https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/palliative-care
Woodbury, A. (2015). Opioids for Nonmalignant Chronic Pain. AMA Journal of Ethics.
