Summary: Opioids are not prescribed in pregnancy. However, so many people are living with opioid use disorder (OUD). Thus, it is no surprise that many pregnant women are exposed to opioids. Opioid Use Disorder (OUD) causes many pregnancy-related complications like increased risk of preterm birth. However, now a study shows that opioid exposure during pregnancy also results in a smaller fetal brain. Thus, OUD may have long-term implications for children born to women living with OUD.

Doctors are unlikely to recommend opioids during pregnancy. However, about 2.7 million people are living with opioid use disorder symptoms (OUD) in the US alone. The vast majority of them are addicted to prescription opioids and some to street drugs1. Hence, many fetuses are exposed to opioids in their early life.

Fetuses, that is, unborn offspring, differ from adults. It is a stage when an organism is growing fast, and body structures are still forming. Thus, a kind of side effects would also differ in pregnancy. Opioid exposure not only harms women’s health but may also cause significant harm to fetal development.

There are many studies focused on the harm of OUD during pregnancy. Studies show that it results in preterm birth, stillbirths, higher maternal mortality, and more. However, there are still very few studies regarding the impact of opioid exposure during pregnancy and fetal brain development.

The new study published in the American Journal of Roentgenology found that opioid exposure leads to poor fetal brain development. Thus, women exposed to opioids during pregnancy have fetuses with smaller brains compared to those not exposed to opioids.

The study was done at multiple centers in the US. Doctors included those women in the study who had to undergo MRI in their third trimester. During the investigation, they marked the women as either opioid exposed or not exposed to opioids. 

A total of 28 fetal scans were of opioid-exposed women, and 37 fetal scans were of unexposed. When they corrected for fetal age and other confounding factors, they found that fetuses exposed to opioids had significantly smaller brain sizes than those unexposed. They also found increased amniotic fluid volume (29% vs. 8%) and a considerably higher risk of breech position.

This study shows the magnitude of the problem of health threats posed by OUD. However, it should not be viewed merely as a condition causing overdose deaths or few pregnancy complications. Its harms may be even graver, and many harms are challenging to measure.

Smaller brain size is just one thing. However, it is quite challenging to measure how due to OUD, each year, hundreds of children are being born that may experience various disabilities later in their life.

It shows how OUD may influence generations to come. Children born to parents living with OUD may have numerous mental health issues, neurodevelopmental issues, a higher risk of physical ailments, and more.

This study has just explored the tip of the iceberg. Nonetheless, it is a study in the right direction. It shows that statistics regarding drug addiction, related disabilities, and mortality do not show a complete picture.

It also shows the vitality of treating OUD symptoms in young adults. By treating these disorders, we are helping young adults and doing a great service to the coming generation. 

Additionally, it also shows that clinicians should be careful prescribing opioids to young adults, especially women of childbearing age. There is also a need to increase awareness regarding health threats posed by opioid abuse in young adults, especially those planning to have a child.

Additionally, this study should form the basis for further studies into the topic. There is also a need to explore health issues in children born to parents living with OUD. This will help provide timely help to these children.

Summary: Opioid epidemic has been causing more deaths in the last few years than street drugs. Thus, everyone has quickly blamed doctors and pharmaceutical companies for this epidemic. Opioids are the most potent painkillers; without them, patients may suffer from severe pain. However, law enforcement agencies have been pressurizing doctors to reduce opioid prescriptions. Now, new studies suggest that medical prescription of these drugs may not have anything to do with the opioid epidemic. Even if opioids become hard to get, those prone to substance abuse would switch to other drugs. Therefore, there is no evidence that reducing opioid prescriptions would reduce drug overdose-related deaths. It will only result in the change of name of the substance that causes an overdose crisis.

Prescription drugs have been responsible for many deaths in the last decade or so. Almost all of these deaths have occurred due to drug overdose and misuse. Everyone seems to be blaming doctors and the pharmaceutical industry for the epidemics. However, many think that this epidemic has occurred due to widespread prescription of these medications, causing opioid addiction and increased misuse of these medications.

Opioids are one of the most potent painkillers. And in many clinical conditions, managing pain without these powerful pain killers is challenging. If doctors completely stop prescribing these drugs, it would result in poorly managed pain and other health harms.

However, new studies suggest that doctors prescribing opioids may have nothing to do with the epidemic. In one of the studies, researchers followed patients who were prescribed opioids for the first time to control severe pain. After six months of follow-up, less than one percent of the patients used opioids consistently.

People prescribed opioids are not likely to abuse them significantly

This is not the first study to show that opioid prescription is not to be blamed for the present epidemic. In one of the more extensive studies published in the reputed journal BMJ, researchers analyzed the data of 560 000 opioid naïve patients who were prescribed opioids for pain relief. The study found that in the long run, just about 0.6% were found to be misusing opioids.

Many studies show that there is no correlation between opioid misuse and prescription by doctors. It means that if doctors prescribe these drugs for pain relief, this does not contribute much to opioid epidemics. However, this also means that there are other less-known factors causing this epidemic.

However, despite the emerging data that doctors have nothing to do with an opioid epidemic, policymakers and law enforcement agencies are continually pressuring the medical community to stop prescribing these drugs or use them sparingly. However, doctors think that reducing their prescriptions would reduce their patients’ quality of life. In many cases, the situation in the US may become like that in some developing nations.

Since law enforcement agencies are pressuring doctors, CDC has even come up with a statement that agencies should stop misinterpreting its guidelines. Although CDC suggests that doctors should practice caution when prescribing these medications, doctors are in the best situation to decide when to prescribe and when not.

However, things in practice are quite complicated. For example, despite the clarification from CDC, pharmacies are not dispensing opioids in sufficient amounts to the patients.

Researchers further noted that restricting opioid use may help reduce opioid overdose rates. However, it would not result in a decline in substance abuse and related deaths since most people who misuse substances would switch to something else like fentanyl or heroin.

Also, since the regulatory agencies have started discouraging doctors from prescribing opioids, many other street drugs have come back. Thus, methamphetamine misuse has risen considerably in the last few years.

Experts suggest that law enforcement agencies should focus on their war on drugs instead of pressuring doctors and pharmacists. Since pressurizing, doctors would not result in less substance abuse. All it will cause is that addicts or those living with substance misuse disorder would shift to another substance. Hence, the name of the substances causing harm would keep changing, but the overall mortalities caused by substance misuse or overdose would not change.

Summary: Many people are living with chronic pain and need opioids to manage their condition. However, if, for some reason, they need to find a new physician, it becomes very difficult. People find it hard to find a physician who is ready to prescribe opioids for their chronic pain. A new survey of 452 primary clinics confirms that almost half of all clinics in the US do not want to take patients who use opioids to manage their pain. There are worries that they might have legal problems. They also think that patients must be abusing opioids leading to some serious opioid addiction. However, even if the patient is abusing opioids, it is not the reason to refuse care, as refusal may result in patients turning to illicit drugs.

Most Americans already know that it is pretty hard to find a physician who would readily treat their chronic pain, especially if they are on opioids. People often have to call many clinics before getting an appointment or finding a physician ready to help them. However, this is not just an imagination of some patients. A new study now confirms that it is a significant problem for those living with chronic pain and requiring opioids for pain treatment. If they need to change their physician for some reason, they are in trouble.
The new study shows that almost half of all clinics in the US are hesitant to treat patients living with chronic pain if they are on opioids. In the new study carried out by researchers at the University of Michigan, researchers used a technique called “secret shopper.” In the study, one poses as a female patient living with chronic pain and taking opioids. Then, experts called 452 primary clinics in nine states to ask if they were taking new patients.

Finding medical care for those using opioids for their chronic pain is challenging

If the clinic said “yes, ” the person would say that she is covered by insurance and looking for a new healthcare provider to treat her chronic pain, as her earlier physician has retired or stopped prescribing opioids. So the researchers made two calls to each clinic and talked about one of the scenarios.

To the researchers’ amazement, 43% of all clinics said they would not prescribe opioids in both scenarios (early physician retirement or physician stopped prescribing opioids). Only about 32% said that their primary care providers (PCPs) might prescribe opioids in these scenarios. However, another 25% gave mixed signals.

Here it is clear that doctors are hesitant to take patients that are taking opioids, and they are rejecting them without even considering their health condition. The study also found that clinics were twice more likely to reject these patients if they said their doctor stopped prescribing them opioids for some reason. In such instances, clinics assume that a person might be having problems related to opioid misuse.

The study suggests that there is a significant challenge in finding the proper medical care for living with chronic pain. However, the chances of finding care for chronic pain are further reduced if there are some indications that a person may abuse opioids. Healthcare experts warn that such a kind of refusal may significantly increase the risk of a patient’s conversion to illicit substances.

Researchers went further to explore why some clinics are so hesitant to treat such patients. They said that it is due to new legal norms and fear that they may get into some kind of trouble for prescribing these drugs.

The study results are consistent with another study done in 2019, in which researchers also found that 40% of primary care physicians are highly reluctant to treat patients who need opioids for their chronic pain.

However, this discrimination against opioid users is incorrect and poses some significant problems. Therefore, this study aims to show the existence of so-called bias towards opioid users and poor healthcare access.

Health experts say that even if a person is using opioids for other reasons than pain management, they still need medical help. In fact, those addicted to opioids need greater medical assistance, and those are the patients that primary care physicians must be treating.

Summary: It is no secret that socially deprived people are more likely to abuse drugs. However, the study shows a massive difference between drug overdose-related deaths among the rich and poor. Poor people are almost six times more likely to die of drug and alcohol abuse. These findings are worrisome, as drug use has risen during a pandemic. Further, researchers think reducing social inequality is vital to prevent these deaths.

Although people of different backgrounds abuse drugs, poor people are more likely to die from a drug overdose. Data analysis from England shows that this risk is almost six times higher in poor people when compared to rich people.

Their findings are relevant and worrisome. Moreover, the same data shows that the number of deaths is mounting at an incredible pace. For example, in England, deaths due to substance use disorder have risen five times in just a decade, that is, between 2010 to 2020. Of course, a similar kind of trend is seen in the US and many other nations. Thus, these findings have global relevance.

Further, it is worth noticing that these findings are from the pre-covid era. Studies in all EU nations, the UK, and the US show that drug use rose considerably during the pandemic. It means that drug addiction and drug overdose-related deaths will only climb at an even faster pace. It is a health emergency in developed nations and many parts of the world.

It is also essential to note that these findings matter due to rising social disparity. Pandemics have especially hit the poorest people in society. Thus, it means that drug use is also more likely to increase in more impoverished people compared to rich people.

Be it in the US or in the UK, opioids remain the leading cause of drug dependency-related deaths. In the UK, street drugs like heroin are more likely to cause deaths. However, in recent years, the trend is also changing in the US, where prescription drugs remain the leading cause of overdose-related deaths. In the US, street drug overdose-related deaths are rising as prescription opioids are becoming less accessible.

This UK study shows that there is a very clear and visible relationship between the economic status of people, regions, and drug overdose-related deaths. Thus, for example, people living in the most deprived areas of England are several times more likely to die of a drug overdose. It means that healthcare efforts and addiction treatment must also focus on specific geo-locations where people are more likely to abuse and overdose on drugs.

Some efforts are already being made in the US. However, many researchers have shown that in any given state, most drug overdose-related deaths occur in a few counties in the states. Hence, one of the good ideas to reduce these deaths is to create risk maps, and concentrate drug overdose-related death prevention measures in those areas, rather equally in all counties. Coming up with such risk maps is not complex, and both the financial data and data regarding drug overdose-related deaths are readily available.

There is a need to understand that, for many, drug use is just a reaction to changing the environment. They often start using drugs to overcome stress, anxiety, and other mental health issues. Many of these issues are made worse by joblessness and rising homelessness.

Additionally, it is also worth understanding that the choice of drugs by economically deprived people differs. They are more likely to use drugs that pose a greater health risk. Additionally, they are also more likely to combine multiple drugs, thus increasing the risk of a drug overdose.

Experts say that some small changes in policies are not going to help. Most of these small changes may make it harder to get drugs and reduce drug-related crime a bit. However, the impact of most such measures is small and often temporary. Addressing these economic disparities is essential to lower the risk of drug overdose-related deaths.

Therefore, if we need to overcome this issue, we need to have a broader outlook. Opioids addiction treatment will require a 360 degree approach to tackle issues at societal level. Telemedicine Addiction Treatment is one such approach that can address the issue of drug abuse economically while maintaining the comfort and privacy of a person.

Summary: Since Purdue Pharma, the manufacturer of OxyContin, agreed to close their company by paying $8 billion in compensation, several other investigations and legal battles have begun. The Justice Department has filed a legal case against Walmart retail and wholesale for dispensing opioids without taking a good look at prescriptions, thus blaming it for having played a role in the opioid epidemic. However, Walmart disagreed, saying it could not come in between the doctor and patients and reported suspicious prescriptions to DEA. Ultimately, such legal battles might also impact patients who need opioids to control their chronic pains.

Since the opioid epidemic has come into the limelight, things have been changing fast. New regulations and prescription guidelines have been introduced by different stakeholders. However, due to pressures from various groups, multiple investigations have also begun, and so has the blame game.

Thus, the Department of Justice now alleges that Walmart has played a significant role in the opioid crisis. Moreover, the department says that Walmart’s retail chain and distribution unit are to be blamed for the epidemic.

The Justice Department says that Walmart did not pay adequate attention to many things, and thus they broke the law. They continued to dispense opioids to hundreds and thousands of people with invalid prescriptions and failed to report suspicious opioid orders. The department has filed a legal case against Walmart in the US District Court for the District of Delaware.

The department says that as the largest pharmacy chain, it has the means to prevent violations. However, they did not take appropriate measures.

However, Walmart has blasted the Justice Department for inventing some kinds of theories. They say that doctors prescribed, and Walmart pharmacies were bound to fulfill prescriptions. Therefore, Walmart cannot come in between the doctor and the patient.

However, the Justice Department did not agree with Walmart’s explanation, saying that Walmart knew that many of those prescriptions were not for true medical purposes. Not only that, but the Justice Department also blames Walmart for failing to report these issues to the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA).

However, Walmart did not agree with most of this, as it says there has been a failure at the end of regulatory agencies, including DEA. They say they have empowered their pharmacists to refuse to fill prescriptions if they find them doubtful or if the opioids were not prescribed for the right reasons. On its end, Walmart claims it has sent tens of thousands of investigative leads and blocked thousands of questionable doctors. However, DEA failed to act on these leads.

The Justice Department has been pursuing all the companies it deems responsible for the opioid epidemic. However, things changed after Purdue Pharma, the maker of OxyContin, pleaded guilty and agreed to pay more than $8 billion to close the company.

However, all these legal tussles and blame games are not good news for people living with chronic pain and struggling with opioid addiction. It means those who need opioids for chronic pain treatment would now struggle to get prescription refills and those seeking opioid addiction treatment may face difficulty as well.

There is no doubt that doctors and pharmacists should take extra care when prescribing and dispensing controlled substances. However, abuse of specific medications by some individuals should not result in the inaccessibility of these beneficial remedies for those who need them most, including those seeking chronic pain treatment or opioid addiction treatment.

It is true that the opioid epidemic has caused many issues. However, if opioids become difficult to get, many of those addicted to opioids will start using other substances. However, when it comes to people living with chronic pains, they have limited options, as in many cases, opioids are irreplaceable. Thus, if the industry becomes too hesitant to produce, pharmacies reluctant to dispense, and doctors unwilling to prescribe, millions of people would suffer from pain and other severe health issues.

Summary: Opioid crisis and opiate abuse have only worsened in recent years, despite declining rates of opioid prescription. It is no secret that many people living with OUD are not seeking treatment. There are many causes for people not seeking treatment, like clinics not taking new patients, or many are just hesitant to seek treatment. However, telemedicine now offers hope. Doctors can not only treat OUD through online apps or platforms but also prescribe drugs like suboxone, which is a combination of buprenorphine and naloxone.

It is no secret that there are many reasons why so many people are not getting OUD treatment. One of the reasons is that there are just not enough clinics and specialists to treat the condition. In addition, many clinics are not taking new patients, and there are long waiting times.

Another, perhaps, even more significant reason is that those living with any kind of addiction do not want to go to clinics. There is much hesitance. They think that others would not understand their problem or simply do not want to travel, seek help, and more.

However, what if we said that now you can get opioid treatment programs online and prescription for medications? Finally, many states have approved the use of telemedicine in treating OUD. It is the right step, considering the scale of the problem.

Moreover, for most people living with opioid addiction, privacy is also a significant reason for not seeking help. Now they can expect to get treatment in the privacy of their home and even expect to get prescription medication.

Many clinics have now launched online OUD treatment services, which are completely legal. But, of course, there are some requirements to be fulfilled. For example, DEA has made it necessary that patients should undergo live video interviews with healthcare providers and not consult via chat. These limitations are just for the first time, as later, one can keep in touch with the clinics through other means.

Currently, a drug called suboxone is approved for treating addiction through telemedicine. It means that doctors can prescribe this to those living with OUD without the need to visit a clinic. It is among the most effective drugs to treat OUD, and it is a combination of buprenorphine and naloxone.

Suboxone is a very interesting medication and quite effective due to its unique mode of action. For example, buprenorphine works almost in the same way on opioid receptors as oxycodone. However, its activity is much less. Naloxone, on the other hand, blocks the effects of opioids.

Generally, naloxone is not used along with opioids like medications due to the risk of some severe side effects. However, it seems that combining it with buprenorphine is safe and good. Such a combination help overcome withdrawal syndrome quite effectively and, at the same time, block some of the unpleasant effects of prolonged opioid use. Hence, it is among the most effective ways to recover.

Online suboxone prescription is legal, but not in all states. Thus, if you are looking for a suboxone treatment option, you would need to check if online it is legal in your state. Of course, it is worth understanding that things are changing fast, and it is becoming legal in an increasing number of states. Thus, checking the latest information is always a good idea.

Of course, there are some other limitations of this kind of treatment. Besides the first online video interview, doctors would regularly ask you to get tested for opioid use. They would often send you a testing kit, and you will need to carry out the required tests, or else doctors can stop prescribing suboxone. These are some of DEA’s strict requirements, and everyone must stick to them.

Here it is vital to understand one more important thing; if suboxone online prescribing is legal in your state, it does not mean that just any doctor can prescribe it. Buprenorphine is still a controlled substance; thus, clinicians need to obtain a special waiver from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).

Moreover, to avoid any pain killer addiction, there has to be a strict dosage prescription policy , both by the patient and the doctor.

Summary: Fibromyalgia is a common chronic disorder causing body aches, fatigue, tenderness in various body parts, depression, sleep disorders, and more. The condition is caused by certain changes in the brain that remain poorly understood by science. Doctors treat fibromyalgia using painkillers, antidepressants, and other medications, but the treatment is far from satisfactory. However, new studies suggest that psychedelics like psilocybin or LSD may help in chronic pain treatment, as they can help reset the brain, providing long-term relief in the condition.

Fibromyalgia is among the most complex disorders to diagnose and treat. Fibromyalgia causes widespread body aches. There are multiple areas of high pain sensitivity. Not only that, but it also causes fatigue, sleep disorders, depression, and more.

However, the condition is still poorly understood by science. That is why it remains a diagnosis of exclusion. Before confirming the diagnosis, doctors would generally exclude other well-known chronic health disorders causing similar symptoms like body aches and fatigue. Its diagnosis is mainly clinical, and there are no reliable biomarkers to confirm it. Nevertheless, it is among the common causes of chronic pain. What is worrisome is that its incidence is increasing.

There is no single drug therapy that would work for all. Thus, doctors would prescribe non-inflammatory drugs and anti-seizure medications, like gabapentin, and antidepressants, to treat the condition. However, the benefit from most of these drugs is far from satisfactory, and the risk of side effects from such treatments is high. Thus, there is a need to find safe medications to treat the condition.

In recent years, doctors have understood that fibromyalgia is caused by some brain changes causing hyperalgesia and fatigue. Thus, body tenderness in the condition is rather due to changes in the brain and not due to some local inflammation. Hence, it is vital to explore drug therapies that may help alter the brain’s working. Psychedelics are known to help reset the brain and provide prolonged benefits for many brain disorders. However, psychedelic therapy still remains largely experimental in various health disorders.

Now, one of the pharma startups has decided to explore the role of psychedelics in managing fibromyalgia. A California-based company called Tryp Therapeutics has partnered with the Chronic Pain & Fatigue Research Center at the University of Michigan Medical School for a phase 2 study regarding the use of psilocybin to treat fibromyalgia.

There are many reasons to consider psilocybin. It is the psychoactive compound found in “magic mushrooms” and is known to be relatively safe. Thus, researchers do not need to spend years generating pre-clinical data, and they also do not need to start with a phase 1 study, which mainly focuses on the safety of the compound and its humans. It is because there is already sufficient information about psilocybin, and its safety in humans is established to a degree. It has the potential of becoming the best treatment for fibromyalgia.

Of course, phase 2 studies are also about safety, but they are more extensive than phase 1 studies. Moreover, they also focus on efficacy at a safe time. Thus, the possibility of starting from the phase 2 study means much savings in both financial terms and timelines.

The company will test synthetic psilocybin. Early studies suggest that psilocybin can alter neuroplasticity, alter many neural networks, and cause long-term changes in brain function. Hence, it is likely that it may help reduce hyperalgesia of central origin often found in those with fibromyalgia.

Everyone is very excited about the study, as its success may change how fibromyalgia is managed and may even affect how chronic pain treatment, opioid addiction treatment and depression management is carried out. But, of course, these are still early days, as the company is still only getting ready to file for phase 2 trials. Such a trial needs to enroll a few hundred people. However, for the US FDA to approve the drug for medical use, there would be a need for a phase 3 trial, which is much more extensive.

So, sure, there is still a way to go. Nevertheless, the news is exciting, as pharma companies have started looking beyond traditional painkillers or antidepressants to manage such conditions. Moreover, there is limited evidence that antidepressants work for fibromyalgia.

Even more interesting is that other pharma companies have also started exploring the role of psychedelics in managing fibromyalgia. Thus, another company, Mind Medicine, has announced that they are beginning their investigation regarding the use of LSD to treat chronic pain syndrome and get cluster headache relief.

To date, LSD and psilocybin are classified as Schedule 1 controlled substances; hence, they are not approved for any medical use. However, these studies may change all that.

Summary: Vaping was promoted as a safe alternative to tobacco smoking. However, experience shows that it is far from true. Vaping has its own set of health risks. For example, it is known to cause severe effects on lungs leading to fatal outcomes. However, now, new studies suggest that it may be addictive, increase the risk of addiction to other substances, and may have many other longer-term adverse consequences for wellbeing. The new study suggests that various vaping juices may cause increased expression of inflammatory mediators in multiple organs, including the brain, heart, lung, and colon. Moreover, the study also found that the adverse effects of different flavors differ.

Treating one kind of addiction with another less dangerous addiction is not an ideal solution to the problem. Vaping has picked up in recent years. Initially, many promoted it as a way of overcoming tobacco addiction.

However, things are changing fast, and many people vape who never used tobacco. It means that vaping itself is emerging as a significant problem. Moreover, studies show that it is not as safe as imagined earlier and may cause some unique health issues. Data regarding its adverse health effects is still emerging.

What is worrisome is that vaping is a pastime activity of young minds. Most people vaping is between the ages of 18-24. It is also worth understanding that vaping has only picked up in the last few years.

Therefore, it may even become a significant health concern if timely measures are not taken. Therefore, there is an urgent need to raise awareness regarding the health risks associated with vaping. Furthermore, considering how fast people accept vaping and get addicted to it, most people may start vaping in a decade.

Vaping may alter inflammatory responses of the brain, heart, lungs, and colon

It is now known that vaping causes severe and life-threatening lung disease in some. It is already causing a few deaths each year. However, these findings are insufficient to raise awareness regarding the health risks of vaping addiction, as people see it as something uncommon. Most people see vaping-related lung disease as a rare disorder affecting a few.

However, people do not realize that vaping may have many long-term ill effects on health.

Studying the ill effects of vaping on health is more challenging than understanding the risk of tobacco addiction. Unlike cigarettes that use various tobacco strains with varying degrees of nicotine, vaping uses many different kinds of vape juices with quite different chemical compositions.

It means that vaping one kind of liquid may have a certain set of side effects. While using another type of vaping juice may have completely distinct side effects.

The new study published in the journal eLife explored the ill effects of various commonly available vaping flavors or some of the leading vaping devices like JUUL.

In the study, researchers were especially amazed by the significant elevation of inflammatory markers that are associated with poor brain health and an even higher risk of neurodegenerative disorders. Experts noted that vaping fluids caused changes in gene expression in the brain. They found that this effect is especially marked in the nucleus accumbens, a brain region that plays a vital role in the reward pathway.

These findings are concerning, as they suggest that vaping may also increase the dangers of mental health disorders. Thus, it may increase the risk of anxiety, depression, and more. In addition, it may also cause behavioral changes, increasing the risk of addictive behavior. This may also increase a person’s risk of substance abuse and addiction.

Similarly, the authors of the study noted that certain vaping juices increase colon inflammation. However, these changes were seen after one month of regular vaping.

Similarly, vaping influences gene expression and increases inflammation of the lungs and even other body tissues.

Researchers also noticed that the inflammatory response of different organs differed to various vaping flavors. This is explained by the different chemical compositions of various vaping juices.

These findings are also relevant in the context of the covid-19 epidemic since the body of those addicted to vaping would respond differently to the infection.

It appears that apart from general immunity, every organ has its immune environment. Thus, these findings are disturbing, as they indicate that vaping may alter the immune responses of individual organs. It may have unpredictable ill effects on health, especially over the long term which form sufficient reasons to quit vaping.

Summary: Chronic pain is among the most common comorbidities in those being treated for opioid use disorder (OUD). However, a new study found that in most cases, doctors treating OUD do not pay sufficient attention to chronic pain management, resulting in higher opioid relapse. They also found that those treated with medications like methadone or buprenorphine had better pain relief and, thus, better treatment outcomes. Therefore, researchers recommend that doctors focus on managing comorbidities when treating OUD.

When we think of people living with OUD, we completely neglect that many of them live with severe chronic pain such as, neck pain, complex regional pain syndrome, etc. This poorly managed chronic pain may be related to poor treatment outcomes in many. Studies show that chronic pain is the most common comorbid condition in those living with OUD.

 

Recently, the Journal of Pain published a patient survey, finding that two-thirds of those treated for OUD reported that their chronic pain was not managed well. Even worse, 47% reported that their pain worsened over time, thus increasing the risk of opioid relapse.

 

The opioid crisis continues to be a significant health problem, and it is showing no sign of slowing down. Moreover, the coronavirus pandemic only increased opioid use disorder (OUD) and drug overdose-related deaths. This only underlines the need to pay more attention to the effective opioid addiction treatment.

 

Health experts say that the problem in tackling the opioid crisis is not just in lack of access to opioid treatment, which is true. Still, other factors make treatment more difficult and result in high relapse rates. In addition, most people treated with OUD have other comorbidities, with many living with mental health issues and chronic pain.

 

Although it is no secret that chronic pain and OUD are related health issues. However, it is unknown how ill-managed pain in those living with OUD may affect treatment outcomes for the condition. Health experts say that one of the problems is that treating doctors focus significantly on OUD, but less on comorbidities, especially issues like chronic pain.

 

In the new survey, researchers analyzed the data of 14,449 patients getting treated in 225 OUD treatment centers. They found that one-third of all the patients had significant chronic pain. Out of these patients, just one-third reported that their chronic pain was managed properly with pharmaceutical drugs. Moreover, almost half of all the patients said the pain was the primary reason for opioid relapse.

 

Researchers say this is a massive sample size, and they were amazed to see that so many patients are not being treated adequately for their chronic pain. Many of these patients have even used street drugs like heroin to manage their pain.

 

When researchers interacted with doctors treating OUD, they were often told that treating pain was not their priority or not within the scope of their practice.

 

Researchers say that there is a need to understand that pain is among the most significant causes of opioid relapse. Hence, effective treatment of OUD must include adequate pain relief.

 

The study had another unexpected finding related to opioid relapse. In the survey, 20% of those treated for OUD said that they would return to opioid use once they overcame their addiction. It means that treatments are not preparing them well for post-treatment life, and many of them still view opioid use as an option.

 

The study also found that those treated with OUD with medications had a higher success rate. Thus, those treated with buprenorphine and methadone reported better treatment satisfaction. It seems that one of the reasons for a greater success rate with these medications is that they also help with chronic pain treatment.

 

Thus, health experts say addiction treatment will only improve if different health specialists work together. Moreover, the coronavirus pandemic has shown that interdisciplinary collaboration using technologies like telemedicine is not that difficult.

 

Of course, researchers say that the study has also raised certain questions, like the role of opioids in pain management. As a result, the researchers suggest that the use of opioids for managing chronic pain should be limited.

 

Additionally, researchers say that one of the issues is that doctors often do not view chronic pain as one of the significant issues. They forget that this pain may be due to comorbidities like depression and mood disorders requiring treatment. If these comorbidities remain unmanaged, relapse is more likely.

 

Hence, researchers concluded that OUD should be treated by multi-specialist teams, including pain management, psychiatry, psychology, integrative medicine, and physical therapy. In addition, we should treat the patient as a whole and not merely focus on reducing pain numbers on a scale.

Summary: Childhood abuse is not rare in the US and affects about one in seven children. It is well known that such a trauma can cause many issues during adolescence and young adulthood. Those exposed to childhood abuse may have mental health issues, behavioral problems, and risky behavior. However, now a study suggests that it may even significantly increase the risk of mental and physical ailments in old age. It may almost double the depression, anxiety, and even COPD risk.

 

Older adults who had a traumatic childhood are more likely to develop chronic painful conditions and various chronic disorders like cancer, depression, anxiety, COPD, and others.
These days chronic non-communicable diseases have emerged as a significant issue. Medical science may manage these conditions well, but they are challenging to treat. Conditions like COPD, depression, anxiety, or even cancer, may not kill immediately, but these issues cause significant pain and disability.

 

Researchers want to understand why certain painful and chronic conditions are rising so quickly despite improved living standards. There are many reasons for the increased mental health disorders and chronic painful conditions. It appears that childhood abuse is one such significant factor.

 

CDC data suggests that childhood abuse and neglect are quite a common problem. It affects almost one in seven children. It means that there are millions of adults who had traumatic experiences in their childhood. Childhood abuse could be physical, sexual, emotional, and neglect. Over the long term, children who were abused are more likely to engage in risky behavior and have unhealthy lifestyles. However, now a study suggests that the ill effects of childhood trauma continue to haunt a person even in old age.

 

A new study shows that childhood abuse continues to cause pain in old age

 

Childhood abuse causing issues at school age, increasing the risk of substance abuse, and risky behavior are well known. Childhood trauma may also cause mental health issues and behavioral disorders in adolescents and young adults. However, what researchers did not know is that painful childhood may significantly contribute to the painful conditions in old age

 

The new study was done in British Columbia, Canada. In the study, researchers enrolled 409 older adults living with various ailments. First, there were all survivors of childhood abuse, and now they were older than 60 years.

 

Researchers did not expect childhood memories and pain to continue to haunt even in old age. Thus, they decided to compare the prevalence of painful conditions in older adults with difficult childhood to those with a normal childhood. Researchers were amazed to see the marked difference between the two groups.

 

The researchers found that childhood trauma increased the risk of anxiety, depression, and COPD by as much as twice. This is a massive difference, something that researchers did not expect. They also found that childhood abuse survivors have a 50% higher risk of cancers and a 70% greater risk of migraines and debilitating pain. They are also at a 33% higher risk of developing arthritis. Interestingly, it seems that childhood abuse only slightly increases heart disease risk.

 

Doctors cannot fully explain the association between childhood abuse and a higher risk of painful conditions in older adults. Nonetheless, they think that there are multiple mechanisms of action. For example, those with childhood trauma have altered stress responses and neural pathways and are more likely to live with chronic inflammation. In addition, they often have abnormal cortisol levels.

 

These findings are relevant as one is not likely to pay much attention to the possible link between childhood abuse and a higher risk of chronic painful ailments in older adults. However, the present study shows that it may be a significant contributing factor in some cases. Furthermore, childhood trauma can significantly increase the risk of multiple health conditions. Thus, anyone treating chronic pain conditions in older adults must have telehealth treatment regarding this