Undertreatment of Pain: A National Disgrace

These are the words of Professor Ronald T Libby, in a commentary on pain that appeared in "The Pain Community" a monthly news letter published by The American Pain foundation this month, and he is exactly right.He reaffirmed what I have been saying, that most experts agree that right now there are approximately 76 million people struggling with Chronic Pain. Even though I have focused on the spine mostly, there are a host of other diseases and injuries like cancer, diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, fibromyalgia, migraines, Hiv/Aids and other trauma from injuries. Even our veterans returning with all types of traumatic injuries are faced with not getting treatment for their injuries and that is a damn shame and a disgrace. If patriotic soldiers who have sacrificed themselves for the defense of their country do not receive adequate pain treatment for combat related injuries, what chance does the rest of the population have of getting pain relieving treatment. The reason for the failure to provide life giving pain relief to patients is the pervasive fear of prescribing opioids, narcotics. The societal enforcer of opioid-phobia is the DEA,(Drug enforcement agency). I really don't blame them entirely and this is why. Much of the problem lies with the powerful committees and sub-committees in Washington, D.C., playing to the cameras for their own selfish gain. Have you ever watched a cabinet member or a department head testifying before them on C-Span. The want more results on the drug trafficking trade so they go after the Doctors who are trying to help people like me and millions of others. Hey you political bastards, we are not Drug addicts. We are people suffering to the point of taking our own lives just to get away from the pain. This medication was approved by the FDA for the purpose of helping people like myself and Richard Paey live.

The biggest problem of all is the disinformation or misinformation by the damn News Media. They will talk about some pro-athelete overdosing on steriods for a month, or some celebrity getting picked up on a drug charge, but they will not devote one minute of time to some of the Chronic Pain Advocacy groups appearing on T.V. to tell the truth about the Chronic Pain undertreatment disgrace going on in this country at this very moment and it affects millions.

Doctors have opiodphobia

Where do you turn when you walk out of a physicians office after he has just told you that he cannot prescribe anything for your pain because he is afraid you will become addicted? Your pain level is so high that you are wandering if you can make it through the day, yet this so-called medical professional is more worried about addiction than your pain. Something is terribly wrong with this picture. This is what the "chronic pain individual" faces every single day of their life. Opiodphobia!! that is what I call it. It doesn't matter if you have no record of any kind of addiction. It is just like being found guilty before having a trial. If you are a "chronic pain "sufferer you are stigmatized.

I recently changed primary care physicians and started calling around to find a new one. The very first one I called, as I was describing my problems to her and mentioned chronic pain, this was the exact reply. Well I will tell you right now, we don't prescribe "narcotics". This statement only shows the lack of education the medical industry really has on controlling chronic pain. First of all they are not narcotics. This is a law enforcement term. The medical name for these drugs are opiods, opiates or "Schedual II controlled substances approved by the FDA for treatment of severe chronic pain and cancer patients. You don't become addicted. Addiction is a behavorial problem in people, and some of it is even hereditary. People who take street drugs to get high and sometimes people who take drugs for pain and continue after they no longer need them. That is addiction. The correct term is "chemical dependency" which is a normal occurance in anyone who has to take this type of drug. To get off of them when you no longer have to have them, tell your Dr. and he will start slowly lowering your dosage until you are completely rid of them. How do I know all of this. Four back surgeries and multiple intravenous injections, all of which have only made my problems worse and 25 years of sitting up all night reading every piece of medical publication I could find on the internet, watching surgery webcasts, and listening to the surgeons who are not afraid to tell the truth. The person who lives in chronic pain lives the most lonely, painful life in the world.