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Key Takeaways The opioid crisis is a major public health issue, with over 40.3 million people in the US affected by substance use disorder in 2020, and opioids are a significant part of this crisis. Only 6.5% of individuals with substance use disorder received treatment in 2020, highlighting the need for accessible rehabilitation services. Opioid… Continue reading Understanding the Cost of Opioid Rehabilitation

Key Takeaways Opioid withdrawal is a difficult process that begins hours after the last dose, with symptoms peaking within days. Withdrawal symptoms range from physical (e.g., muscle aches, sweating) to psychological (e.g., anxiety, cravings). The severity of withdrawal symptoms is influenced by factors such as opioid type, usage duration, and individual physiology. Opioids affect brain… Continue reading Understanding the Opioid Withdrawal Timeline

Key Takeaways Opioid addiction is a complex health crisis with individual and societal impacts, requiring comprehensive treatment approaches. Medication-assisted treatment (MAT), behavioral therapies, and support systems are essential components of opioid addiction treatment. FDA-approved medications like methadone, buprenorphine, and naltrexone are used in MAT to reduce withdrawal symptoms and cravings. Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is effective… Continue reading Exploring Local Opioid Treatment Options

Key Takeaways Opioid addiction is influenced by genetic predispositions and socioeconomic factors, with a significant impact on various demographics. The opioid crisis has evolved due to increased heroin availability and the introduction of synthetic opioids like fentanyl. Physical indicators of opioid addiction include withdrawal symptoms, changes in appearance, disrupted sleep patterns, constipation, and respiratory changes.… Continue reading Recognizing the Signs of Opioid Addiction

Key Takeaways Ketamine is a dissociative anesthetic with potential for abuse, classified as a Schedule III controlled substance. It is used medically for anesthesia and has shown promise in treating treatment-resistant depression. Ketamine's recreational use can lead to adverse effects and has a lower prevalence compared to opioids in the U.S. Opioids are used for… Continue reading Understanding Ketamine: Is it an Opioid?

Key Takeaways Service-related injuries, including PTSD and musculoskeletal injuries, significantly contribute to opioid use among veterans. Physical injuries from service duties, such as TBIs and musculoskeletal injuries, often lead to chronic pain and opioid use for pain management. Psychological injuries like PTSD can lead to self-medication behaviors and an increased risk of opioid use disorder… Continue reading Addressing Opioid Use After Service-Related Injuries

Doctor shopping occurs in a small percentage of opioid users, and involves seeking out prescriptions from a number of different doctors (usually at least five or six) for the purpose of obtaining larger amounts of the drug in order to abuse it. Prescription opioid abuse increased in the 1990s when doctors began to prescribe painkillers more frequently… Continue reading What Is Doctor Shopping and How Does It Impact the Opioid Epidemic?

Rapid detox from opioids is a newer treatment that is generally considered unsafe when compared to regular opioid detox programs. This method of treatment is also called ultra-rapid opiate detox or anesthesia-assisted rapid opioid detox. Although it is designed to make detox faster and more comfortable, research shows that rapid detox isn’t more effective than other methods of detox and… Continue reading Dangers and Risks of Rapid Detox for Opioid Addiction

The New England Journal of Medicine estimates that 30 to 40 percent of the US population suffers some form of chronic pain, from recurring headaches to debilitating back pain and everything in between. While not all of these conditions are treated with opioid painkillers, some 259 million prescriptions for opioids are dispensed each year in the US.… Continue reading Colorado Chronic Pain Sufferers Find Non-Opioid Treatments that Work

The nation’s opioid crisis is still in full effect, and many doctors are looking to explore non-opioid options for chronic pain management. As of August 2, 2019, Colorado doctors have been granted a new possibility. With the enactment of SB 19-013, doctors in the state can now recommend medical marijuana in place of opioid painkillers. The decision does have its… Continue reading Colorado Doctors Talk Pain Treatment: Medical Marijuana vs. Opioids