New help for physicians working on pain management

Do you feel that your doctor isn’t managing your pain properly? If you have pain, either short-term or long-term, chances are you aren’t being managed properly if you have a doctor who is uncertain of how to use certain types of medications, namely opioids (narcotics).

The uncertainty could be from fear of their patients becoming addicted, for example. Unfortunately, that way of thinking still holds true for many doctors – even if it’s not right. Other doctors are just not familiar with how to prescribe narcotics, be it for what type of pain, the dosage, and the frequency.

If you live in the United States, this may change as the push to educate healthcare providers regarding pain control makes its way to the doctors. The Federation of State Medical Boards Research and Education Foundation (FSMB) has published and made available country-wide, the Model Policy for the Use of Controlled Substances for the Treatment of Pain, a handbook for physicians.

It seems like a good step in the right direction.

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Also: What type of chronic pain do you have? and How often do you take over-the-counter pain relievers?

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