Browsing by Author "Aaron, Ashley E"

Now showing 1 - 1 of 1
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Chronic Pain
    (2010-07-21) Aaron, Ashley E
    Chronic, non-cancer pain is defined as pain of at least 3 months. Chronic pain is a common health issue that effects anywhere from 20-60% of Americans and accounts for $61 billion in lost productivity time in this country alone. It is often undertreated due to the complexity and controversy surrounding management with chronic opioid analgesics. Chronic pain is often accompanied by psychosocial co-morbidities, most notably depression, that further complicates its treatment. Chronic pain is often best addressed by a multi-disciplinary team that closely monitors each patient individually. While the use of opioid analgesics poses some risks, when managed properly, the extreme improvement in patient quality of life that can be obtained often far outweigh the risk.