I’ve been told before that opiates aren’t useful for chronic pain, but I always assumed that was due to the risk of addiction. I had major surgery recently and was on morphine in the hospital and Vicodin after leaving. I hardly experienced any pain from the surgical site while on the medications, but my chronic shoulder pain seemed to be unaffected. Can anyone explain why this would be the case?
In: Biology
From what I understand, narcotics like opiates work by blocking pain signals in the brain. However, over time the body can build up a tolerance to these drugs, meaning higher and higher doses are needed to achieve the same pain relief. This can lead to addiction and other negative side effects. In the case of chronic pain, the underlying condition causing the pain may not be affected by the pain-blocking properties of narcotics, meaning they may not provide much relief. It’s important to work with a healthcare professional to find the best treatment plan for your specific pain condition.
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