Opioids offer little over NSAIDs for chronic severe pain

Dr Linda Calabresi

writer

Dr Linda Calabresi

GP; Medical Editor, Healthed

Dr Linda Calabresi

Opioids have really fallen out of favour as a chronic pain relief option.

Even for patients with severe chronic back pain, or severe pain from their osteoarthritis in their hip or knee, opioids will not offer any better relief in terms of pain-restricted function that non-opioid medication, a recent study published in JAMA has shown.

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