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Mark Russakoff

When Pain Comes Knocking, Are Opioids The Answer? When Pain Comes Knocking, Are Opioids The Answer?
When Pain Comes Knocking, Are Opioids The Answer? “You can’t talk about pain without addressing the use of opioids, because of their potent ability to reduce pain,” said Yili Huang, DO, board certified pain management anesthesiologist and director of the Phelps Pain Center. Opioids can be effective for acute pain, such as that resulting from an injury or surgery, but they should only be used for a period of 3-7 days. They may also be helpful in providing comfort as part of palliative care or to diminish pain caused by cancer, but beyond that, there is very little room for long-term opioid use. Opioids have not only been shown to be ineffect…