Subject: Efficacy of Treating Chronic Low Back Pain With Opioid Analgesics

6/14/16

Dear Friends and Colleagues,

The results of research summarized in an article in JAMA Internal Medicine, “Avoiding Opioid Analgesics for Treatment of Chronic Low Back Pain”, by Jane C Balantyne, MD, FRCA, suggest what many involved with work related back injuries have suspected for some time.  The article concludes that, for people with chronic low back pain, “opioid analgesics provide modest short-term pain relief but the effect is not likely to be clinically important within guideline recommended doses.”  (Emphasis added.)  The article goes on to note that “[e]vidence on long-term efficacy is lacking.”

If you are interested in reading more, the link for the article is:  http://jama.jamanetwork.com/article.aspx?articleID=2528194.

Please share this email with others who might be interested in this information.

Thank you!

Len Hickey and John Combs