-Caveat Lector-
On Wed, 27 Dec 2000 22:15:36 -0600 Amelia <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> writes:
>-Caveat Lector-
>HEALTHBEAT: Hospitals told to treat patients' pain
>By LAURAN NEERGAARD
>The Associated Press
>12/26/00 12:48 AM
>
>WASHINGTON (AP) -- When you enter a hospital, you have a right to have
>your pain properly treated.
>That sounds so common-sense, yet millions of Americans suffer every
>day because pain is routinely ignored or undertreated.
>Many doctors hesitate to prescribe opioids, which are heavily
>regulated because they can be abused by addicts. But for people who have
never
>abused drugs and have no history of psychological problems, hardly any
become
>dependent on pain medicine, Miaskowski said.
>So what's state-of-the-art treatment? For moderate to severe pain from
>acute illness or surgery, expect a short-acting opioid like Percocet, or
>morphine in a patient-controlled quick-dose pump. For cancer, expect a
>long-acting version of morphine or oxycodone, or a fentanyl skin patch.
>For chronic pain not due to cancer, new guidelines recommend similar
>opioids.
>Methadone is an alternative when those drugs fail.
>Doctors also are trying antidepressants and antiseizure drugs like
>gabapentin for patients with nerve-related pain.
>And relaxation and hypnosis help, too -- but shouldn't replace proper
>medication, Miaskowski stresses.
I participated in the Governor's Inquiry into Chronic Pain here in
Oregon. What was made abundantly clear is that there is an effective
alternative to these drugs that has no toxicity threshold, has no
addiction problems, has few unpleasant side effects, and is a naturally
occuring plant that is affordable to everyone. That led to the passage
of the Medical Marijuana Law. Why anyone would not try it before trying
these other much more dangerous drugs is directly attributable to the War
on Drugs hype. So far 9 states have made this step. Here in Oregon, the
average age of those holding Medical Marijuana cards is 47years old.
The major speakers against the use of marijuana were more concerned that
the patient may "enjoy" the medication. Many on the panel openly
questioned the validity of this arguement; that a patient may derive
pleasure from a medication, as well as relief from pain, is no reason to
withold that medication.
Jayson
<A HREF="http://www.ctrl.org/">www.ctrl.org</A>
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