Posted on August 23, 2017
The opioid epidemic in the US is growing and some addicted people first started taking narcotics because of a surgery.
I publish these stats, because numbers are good to know, and my approach to your pain control after surgery keeps all of this in mind. When possible, I try to use other methods to control your pain.
What the stats show:
- 70 million patients undergo surgery each year.
- 99% are prescribed opioids
- More than 1 in 15 will go to long term use or abuse
- NOTE: this stat includes all surgeries, which includes those for chronic pain like back, neck, etc.
- My surgeries tend to have a very short span of pain and recovery, and most of my patients are off pain medication at 1 week, and all off meds at 2 weeks.
- In a study of 250 patients, the average patient consumed 1/3 of their total prescription
- This leaves pills for “diversion”
- 75% of people who misuse prescription pain relievers do not have a prescription for the drug
- 12 million patients used prescription pain medications non-medically in 2010
- 5.1 were classified as opioid abusers
So what do we do?
We try to treat pain with other ways.
- Local anesthesia (I inject local into the incisions of all of my patients, with all surgeries. This can relieve pain for up to 4 hours)
- Acetaminophen. Aka Tylenol. It is a good pain reliever.
- Long acting local anesthetics. Q pump or Exparel (bupivacaine) injection.
- NSAIDS. (I cannot use these for most of my surgeries, as they increase the risk of bleeding)
- Muscle relaxants when applicable.
The information provided on this website is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of a qualified healthcare provider for any questions regarding your health or medical condition.