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Non-Opioid Treatment for Chronic Osteoarthritis Pain

By August 20, 2021 No Comments

Since the late 1990’s, opioid overdose rates have been growing. In 2016, opioid overdoses accounted for over 42,000 deaths, more than any previous year on record. An estimated 40% of opioid overdose deaths involved a prescription opioid. In 2017, an estimated 1.7 million people in the United States suffered from substance use disorders related to prescription opioid pain relievers. That same year, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services declared the opioid epidemic a public health emergency.

According to The National Institute on Drug Abuse, In 2019, nearly 50,000 people in the United States died from opioid-involved overdoses. The misuse of, and addiction to, opioids—including prescription pain relievers…is a serious national crisis that affects public health as well as social and economic welfare. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that the total “economic burden” of prescription opioid misuse alone in the United States is $78.5 billion a year, including the costs of healthcare, lost productivity, addiction treatment, and criminal justice involvement.”

Opioids are typically prescribed to help manage chronic pain, for example the pain many suffering from Osteoarthritis (OA) of the knee(s) suffer from daily. But is this a good idea?

According to this study published in Arthritis Care & Research, it is not, as opioids show minimal benefits for osteoarthritis (OA) symptoms and may increase safety risks.

Overall, the findings showed that compared with placebo, opioids had only small benefits in terms of pain and function in OA. In addition, treatment with opioids of any strength had little benefit on quality of life. Researchers also demonstrated that strong vs weak/intermediate opioids had lower efficacy and worse safety in the management of OA.

Researchers concluded that clinicians and policy makers should reconsider the utility of opioids in the management of OA.

That’s why Integrative Practice Solution aims to avoid the use of opioids and surgery with The Advanced Arthritis Relief Protocol™(AARP Program). Integrative Practice Solutions has developed an innovative treatment and clinical business model focused on resolving the Osteoarthritic knee pain currently suffered by over 32.5 million Americans that helps many avoid the need for addictive oral opioids, and risky surgical interventions.

To learn more about how adding this protocol to your practice can provide an alternative to oral medication management, while increasing clinical outcomes, reducing risk, and adding substantial profits schedule a risk-free introductory webinar here or call (855) 854-6332 today!

Additional Sources Cited:

1.   https://www.rheumatologyadvisor.com/home/topics/osteoarthritis/role-of-opioids-in-knee-and-hip-osteoarthritis-management/

2.   https://www.cdc.gov/arthritis/basics/osteoarthritis.htm

 For more information on the OpioidOverdose Crisis, please reference this article from the National Institute onDrug Abuse. https://www.drugabuse.gov/drug-topics/opioids/opioid-overdose-crisis

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