New data from the National Institutes of Health found that more than 1 in 4 patients with a chronic pain condition were pursuing pharmacologic treatments as their only form of care. As we’ve said on this blog time and time again, chronic pain is a complex issue that needs to be treated with a combination of active and passive treatments.

Pharmacologic treatments are considered a passive treatment and involve things like over-the-counter medications, prescription nonopioids and opioids. Non-pharmacologic treatments tend to be more active in nature, like exercise, physical therapy and cognitive behavioral therapy. Dr. Cohn and his team follow the current recommendations of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which suggest that chronic pain treatment oftentimes works best with a mix of nonpharacologic and pharmacologic therapies.

However, a recent NIH survey found that a fair amount of chronic pain patients are pursuing passive care as their only treatment option for their chronic pain condition. A survey of 7,422 patients with chronic pain uncovered that 26.6 percent of adults said pharmacologic therapy was their only form of chronic pain treatment.

Chronic Pain Treatment Findings

Additional findings from the survey include:

• 60.2 percent of adults were pursuing both pharmacologic and nonpharmacologic therapies for their pain condition.

• The most common pharmacologic treatments used were over-the-counter pain relievers (75.5%), prescription nonopioids (31.1%) and prescription opioids (13.5%).

• The most common nonpharmacologic therapies used were exercise (55%), complementary therapies (36.7%), physical or occupation therapy (17.2%) and cognitive behavioral therapy (2.2%).

• Older adults with more severe pain and those on public insurance were more likely to treat their pain with prescription opioids

The most concerning finding from the survey was that more than 1 in 4 patients are taking medications as their only form of chronic pain management. These medications treat the symptoms, and while they can calm inflammation or make movement more comfortable, they won’t serve to address the underlying issue that is causing inflammation or similar joint issues. You absolutely need to pair passive techniques like rest and medications with active techniques like exercise and physical therapy. These active treatments help you become stronger so that you can better handle stress, and they also work to stabilize structures that could be suffering from instability or mobility issues. Medications won’t solve your root problem, and while they can be a great compliment to a comprehensive treatment program, they are never a good stand alone option!

To connect with a provider who can develop a treatment plan suited to your specific needs, or to help create a treatment plan that incorporates the right balance of active and passive treatments, reach out to Dr. Cohn and his team today at (952) 738-4580.