There is one particular academic periodical called Pain and the August issue includes important studies involving pain. Boston University has conducted research of Americans who are taking opioid drugs such as Ultram to help manage their pain. The results indicate a higher usage rate than prior studies, which may be a result of more honest answers to survey participants, an actual increase in usage or differing research methods.
In any case, the random telephone survey involved 19,000+ participants and revealed that greater than 4 million Americans take opioids on a regular basis. The survey also indicated that approximately 10 million adults took a strong painkiller during any given week. Therefore, a high percentage of American adults suffer from chronic pain that is severe enough to take a strong painkiller.
The results of the study are disturbing; it’s concerning that such a high percentage of individuals are suffering from chronic pain and so many people frequently use opioids to control such pain. A more important issue is the fact that many of these individuals may be abusing painkillers. Because it is illegal to get such drugs without obtaining a prescription, the level of opioid abuse may be significantly higher.
The survey revealed that most of the treated symptoms were arthritis, back pain and headaches. Approximately 5 percent of the participants responded that they had taken a strong painkiller such as Ultram to alleviate a condition such as anxiety that is not related to physical pain. Most people who took painkillers also took other types of medications such as anti-inflammatories. However, it is disturbing to note that approximately 30 percent of the individuals also took antidepressants and higher than 25 percent also took anticonvulsants.
Strong opioids can cause other chronic conditions such as cardiovascular disease. However, many people find the pain so severe that they choose to take an opioid regardless of the possible risks. Opioids such as Ultram can provide effective pain relief, but more effective ways to deal with pain management must also be promoted to help lower the rate of abuse.
