Potential Consequences of Opioid-Related Stigma for Individuals With Chronic Pain

In 2016, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued new guidelines for the prescribing of opioids in an effort to reduce opioid addiction rates and overdose deaths. The impact of these guidelines has been significant on the chronic pain community. In some states, the guidelines are...

An opioid is a medication prescribed to relieve moderate to severe pain by weakening pain signals from nerves to the brain. Opioids have been a standard of care in pain management for decades. Appropriate use of long-term opioid therapy must be considered within the context of all pain management...

Opioids have the potential to be abused. Addiction refers to a problematic or unhealthy use of a substance. The results of opioid misuse range from mild to severe. It’s important to note that tolerance and addiction are not the same. Tolerance is when an individual requires more of a medication to...