Opioids May Not Relieve Chronic Back Pain Sufferers with Depression, Anxiety

New findings may indicate that typically prescribed opioids may not be effective in certain patients due to psychiatric factors, drawing into question if mental health should impact drug usage for pain. Researchers from the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine published findings in the journal Anesthesiology, reporting dramatically lowered drug efficacy in individuals suffering from disorders such as anxiety and depression who displayed less pain relief from opioids, but also displayed higher rates of medication abuse and addiction. “It’s important for physicians to identify psychiatric disorders prior to deciding whether to prescribe opioids for chronic back pain as well as treat these conditions as part of a multimodal treatment plan,” said the study’s author. “Rather than refusing to prescribe opioids, we suggest that these conditions be treated early and preferably before lower back pain becomes chronic. For those prescribed opioids, successful treatment of underlying psychiatric disorders may improve pain relief and reduce the chance of opioid abuse in these patients.” To learn more about this study, click here.