Many people take opioid painkillers for chronic pain such as back pain, arthritis, or lingering pain from injuries. Fear of experiencing pain is one reason people are reluctant to quit taking opioids, even when it is clear they have become harmful. However, there now better ways to treat chronic pain. Many non-addictive medications have been…
The opioid epidemic in the US seems to be getting worse every year. The CDC estimates that in 2017, nearly 49,000 Americans died of an opioid overdose. Fortunately, awareness of the problem is growing and there are more treatment options than ever for opioid addiction. However, recovery from opioid addiction must begin with detox. Here’s…
Opioid painkillers were never intended for long-term use. They work very well for people who have been badly injured, people who have just undergone a medical procedure, such as a surgery, or people with terminal illnesses. Unfortunately, many people believe they are the only way to treat chronic pain, such as back pain. Others just…
In the last few years we’ve had no shortage of bad news about the opioid crisis. The death toll keeps rising and the media is full of stories about detailing how opioid addiction has destroyed families and communities. Finally, it looks like there may be some good news on the horizon. A recent report by…
There are an estimated 2.1 million Americans currently suffering from an opioid use disorder, and the government has deemed this a public health emergency. Prescription opioid overdose deaths have more than tripled in the past 20 years and unintentional overdose deaths from opioids have more than quadrupled since 1999. Roughly 91 Americans die each day…
On Thursday, President Trump declared the opioid epidemic a public health emergency. According to the CDC, the opioid epidemic is the deadliest drug crisis in American history, killing about 90 people every day. While Trump’s declaration doesn’t release any new money to help solve the opioid crisis, it does shift some federal money to help…