Aaron, Ashley E2010-07-212010-07-212010-07-21https://hdl.handle.net/11299/92190The information provided in this handout does not necessarily reflect the views of the University of Minnesota Medical School physicians and faculty. These materials are provided for informational purposes only and are in no way intended to take the place of the advice and recommendations of your personal health care provider. You use the information provided in these handouts at your own risk.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.en-USChronic painpainpainpain managementOther