Opioids only useful for short-term pain relief, study finds
Researchers from the University of Alberta have found that opioids are best used for acute pain relief for four weeks or less and may cause more harm than good when used for chronic pain for more than 12 weeks.
A recent study from the University of Alberta has revealed that opioids are most effective for managing acute pain lasting up to four weeks, and may cause more harm than benefit when used for chronic pain lasting more than 12 weeks. The researchers conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of 27 randomized controlled trials comparing opioids with non-opioid pain management for treating osteoarthritis or chronic low back pain.
The findings showed that while opioids can provide clinically meaningful pain relief in the first four weeks, they offer little or no benefit beyond 12 weeks and may even worsen pain control by potentially increasing pain sensitivity in patients. Professor Scott Garrison, the study's principal investigator, advises that opioids are still appropriate for acute pain management, but caution should be taken when prescribing them for chronic pain conditions.
The research team also criticizes a specific trial design known as enriched enrollment randomized withdrawal (EERW), which was excluded from their analysis due to a high risk of bias. The study's results are particularly relevant for medical fields such as family medicine, orthopedics, and rheumatology, where patients with chronic pain are often seen.
Garrison has shared the findings with his own patients with chronic pain, who have responded positively to the information.
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