Pain and prescription medication

Tonight the ABC’s Four Corners program is screening this program The Hidden Epidemic of Prescription Drugs.

Without yet seeing the program, my comment is that chronic pain is a multi-factorial condition which requires an holistic approach on the part of a team of health practitioners who specialise in caring for people who are living with chronic pain.

That there are too many people living with poorly managed pain – with or without the added distress and stigma of medication-related concerns – is because the medical paradigm in this country doesn’t “do” chronic pain very well, and essentially leaves thousands of people floundering and struggling with pain, distress and disability.

Adequate pain relief is a basic human right. No one should have to live with chronic, poorly managed pain or medically induced substance abuse.

It’s time to re-visit a recent post here about chronic pain.

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