Today's featured article highlights that painkiller use in the U.S. has nearly doubled in the last decade. What do you think are the main causes for this increase? What negative effects do you think it will have?

Negative effects of pain killers? Abuse and Dependency but not a cure.  It's the easy way out but we are not really treating the cause of the pain so, what do we expect, when the pain pill effect is gone, pain is back.  I have suffered from so much pain starting from my neck to the shoulder and down to my lower back, and then later to my head.  I decided I needed a reflexologist but I cannot find one available in our area. My husband suggested a chiropractor.  After a few visits I knew I did not have bones or joints or whatever that needed alignment,  and I really have to find someone who knows how to do at least Shiatzu massage, Swiss Body massage, and foot reflexology.  Somehow, I found a Foot Reflexologist in Mason City and had one session with her.  I felt some relief but I did not give her another call. " If I can only do the massage on myself,  I would", (because I know how to do it, I went to school to learn reflexology ) I told myself. 

Pain pills did very little on me.  Pain pills made me feel so sleepy I cannot concentrate at work.  I bought  a massage machine similar to those being advertised on TV, the one with Shiatzu and Rolling settings and I sit on it for at least 30 minutes (2 times 15 minutes each setting) every night and I felt so good I don't have those neck, shoulder and headaches anymore.

CNA's job is stressful and requires a lot of muscles and strengths.  If I will not de-stress every night on my massage machine I could accumulate hardened muscles and stiff neck, and back pain.

Cancer is not the only reason for pain medication, there are many other chronic conditions needing pain relief.  I believe in staying on top of the pain, because I learned early on when I worked an orthopaedic floor, you can't chase the pain.  There does come a time, when the site has healed when pain medication should not be needed other than NSAID's.

There are alternative treatments for chronic pain sufferers besides/inconjunction with pain medications. 

I think that it is easy to get meds now.  I have heard from multiple ER nurses about pain seekers.  They are regulars and come to get their RX.  And it is easy..... If you think not, the next time you see your Doc,  just ask for a RX and see what happens.  I bet that pad comes out in a flash.

On a slightly different note parents beware!    Children are now getting their first taste of meds from their parents medicine cabinet.  I read an article a few weeks ago and it was shocking that 10 and 11 year old children were taking narcotics.  If you have leftover meds from an injury or surgery...........GET RID OF THEM NOW.  Don't leave temptation.  You are asking for trouble.

Personally, I think its inhumane not to treat pain............its been called 'the other vital sign'.  I do think diagnostics should be used to rule out the source, then treat the source.  Each patient is different and I've seen depression expand the 'thoughts' of pain............has anybody else seen that?  I have med surg background, not much psych.    I hate my patients in the hospital to suffer needlessly, but I also hate the thought that pain pills can mask other symptoms that might be the underlying cause of a potential serious problem.  Sort of a catch 22 thing here.  For inpatient problems, I hate to see somebody with a bp and heart rate go through the roof because of pain, but a good h&p sure does help to see if there is a pattern of abuse, I guess.

Kittyrn says ...

Our pain clinic is using lidocaine pumps, and prn narcotics for increase in pain.  With the lidocaine pumps, I have seen a decrease in the use of narcotics in the acute care setting.

thepaindone,  sorry you feel this way, but we do see a lot of people that have narcotic seeking behavior.  I've seen people on oxycontin, lyrica, methadone, and then taking prn percocet. and morphine.  These are people without terminal cancer.  At some point, I think every nurse has seen this and you have to question if the pain is really physical.  Back in the day, when patients could smoke in the hospital, I had a patient that would ask for a cup of coffee and light up a ciggerette before I gave him his morphine, IVP. 

Just want to point out that Lyrica is NOT a narcotic. It is an anti-epileptic medication that is used to treat neuropathic pain.

In KittyRN's defense, she didn't say lyrica was a narcotic.

Sorry, I did not mean to appear like a  know-it-all. Just wanted to clarify this since Lyrica was mentioned in the same sentence as some other narcotics. I apologize for this.

sewnew: Its all good.

My Mom had chronic pain issues with her legs (diabetes, and compression fx), interestingly she found complete relief after being placed on elavil.  She's been on it for close to 10 years, and has had excellent results with it.  Before that she was sleeping only 2 or 3 hours a night due to the pain.  About the third week on it, she said that she had slept all night for the first time in over 20 years.  Didn't even get up to pee (LOL).  There are many non-narcotic alternatives that have promising results. 

My father (92) just started on darvocet (Narcotic).  Although, they tend to discourage this in the elderly, it has worked for him.  He also takes Ultram (non narcotic).  He has had prostate cancer for about 5 years, and has started having issues with pelvic pain. 

We have quite a few mother's that are prescribed Methadone for pain, it replaces the oxycoton or lortab they were taking for pain!

A persons pain is what they say it is.  No matter what you think about that person the pain is still real to them even if the area is healed!!!!  Addiction is a disease despite what some of you think and feel when it comes to those you calll "seekers".  It is a sad situation and though it can be aggervating at times you are still the nurse and if the MD orders it give it.  I would hate to think that someone let me or one of my family members suffer weither the pain is somatic or real.  Karma is something else and you never know when you might find yourself on the other end of the spectrum.  Psych nursing has taught me alot about addictions and what people go through,  so I am more sympathetic now that I understand psychological dependance.