After surgery, effective pain management is essential for a patient’s comfort, speedy recovery, and general contentment. Opioids are frequently recommended following surgery to treat pain since they can easily give patients this comfort during recovery. Unfortunately, many patients fall victim to these vicious drugs, and end up becoming addicted. We hear about this all the time on the news or social media. So—what are opioids?
Opioids are a type of medication that interact with certain receptors in the brain and the spinal cord to lessen the sensation of pain. The body’s natural painkillers, endorphins, are a component of the endogenous opioid system, which contains these receptors. Many recreational drugs, like cannabis and cocaine, leave users in a sense of relaxation, heightened senses, and strong feelings of euphoria. Just like these drugs, opioids have this effect on users. While they relieve pain in a short amount of time, they also leave users with a feeling of being “high.” This happens because both opioids increase the activity of endorphins and imitate their effects. Consequently, as a patient uses their prescription more frequently, the body adapts and begins producing lower levels of natural endorphins. This is exactly why opioids are so dangerous. If one uses opioids regularly, their body could both tolerate them and develop a dependency on them. This means a user will need increasingly larger dosages to recreate the same initial high. In the meantime, the brain may develop a dependence in order to maintain balance in the body. Combined, these might result in insufferable withdrawal symptoms when the medicine is stopped. In the worst of cases, patients may end up accidentally overdosing.
Some common types of opioids are oxycodone, hydrocodone, morphine, codeine, and methadone. Even though these drugs are effective in treating severe pain, prescribing and using them needs to be closely monitored in order to reduce the risk of dependence and negative side effects. In order to prevent any sort of opioid abuse, it is crucial there is clear communication between doctors and patients. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, “more than 11.5 million Americans reported misusing prescription opioids in the past year,” which is why the monitorization of controlled medications is crucial. Surgeons must take into account the patient’s medical history, their pain threshold, and the surgical process while creating individualized pain management programs. They can include information regarding expected postoperative pain, alternative pain management alternatives, and the importance of taking prescribed medications as directed to prevent an overdose. In order to determine the patient’s level of pain and modify the pain management plan as necessary, surgeons set up follow-up sessions. This continuous observation assists in preventing the unnecessary prolongation of opioid use. Opioids can be a risky option to prescribe after surgical procedures. Both patients and physicians must be careful in how they are prescribed and used to prevent further cases of addiction and overdose.
References:
- Alsaeed, Omar M, et al. “The Use of Antibiotics for the Prevention of Surgical Site Infections in Two Government Hospitals in Taif, Saudi Arabia: A Retrospective Study.” Cureus, vol. 14, no. 7, 11 July 2022, https://doi.org/10.7759/cureus.26731.
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, www.cdc.gov/drugoverdose/pdf/pubs/2018-cdc-drug-surveillance-report.pdf.
- “Opioid Basics.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 8 Aug. 2023, www.cdc.gov/opioids/basics/index.html.
- “Pain Medications after Surgery.” Mayo Clinic, Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research, 8 Mar. 2022, www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/consumer-health/in-depth/pain-medications/art-20046452.
- U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (2023, May 25). Prescription opioids. Drugfacts. National Institutes of Health. https://nida.nih.gov/publications/drugfacts/prescription-opioids.
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