Percocet and the Chronic Pain Patient

A Convenient Habit Forming Drug Leading to Long Term Health Implications

Each day, millions of Americans suffer through chronic pain. For some chronic pain sufferers, a comprehensive healthcare approach is established to address chronic pain management issues. As part of this comprehensive pain management program, the healthcare professional may develop a team
 of pain management specialists to incorporate primary, secondary and tertiary levels of pain management care. One such treatment option involves the use of a narcotic pain management prescription known as Percocet. As a chronic pain sufferer, understanding the implications of Percocet on the treatment of chronic pain, in addition to the side effects and contraindications, will provide for a more educated approach in determining which pain management methods to consider.

In the treatment of chronic pain, Percocet has led the way for many sufferers to obtain the much needed pain relief, most often associated with untreatable back pain. As a combination of oxycodone and acetametaphin, Percocet provides a blocking agent against the central nervous system while combining the affect of the benefits commonly found in aspirin. Through this combination, chronic pain sufferers receive an immediate relief of low back pain but, commonly, at a health impact leading to a habit forming condition.

In patients who suffer from chronic pain, such as untreatable low back pain, Percocet provides much needed relief. However, after prolonged use, the level at which Percocet is prescribed will require a gradual increase over time, leading to an even greater addiction issue. For this reason, chronic pain sufferers would serve prudent to seek out alternative health options in relieving chronic pain including physical therapy, acupuncture, epidural steroid injections and even surgery, when indicated.

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the person who said,"THE DURAGESIC PATCH CANNOT BE ABUSED."- PEOPLE DO ABUSE IT AND NOT BY INCREASING THE DOSAGE .I WILL NOT EXPLAIN

Posted on 01/29/2009 at 10:01:41 PM

Actually Ppathways, you are right and wrong. Percocet is used to treat chronic pain conditions, it is however used more for post-operative conditions and break-through pain. Medications such as Oxycontin are used more for chronic pain sufferers as this lasts longer because of it's time-released effects. The Duragesic patch is another alternative, but it is very strong. People who start using the patch would normally have needed to use Morphine at one point or another before using this patch, Fentanyl is very potent and is a lot stronger than morphine which is also a very potent drug. Now i do not suffer from chronic back pain, but I do suffer from chronic wrist pain and at times take prescription pain meds, had to stop for a period of time because it was getting bad, anyhow, you are right and wrong, the article is fine though.

Posted on 01/03/2008 at 1:01:00 PM

what Ppathways said.

Posted on 08/26/2007 at 4:08:00 PM

You honestly do not understand chronic pain. The alternative programs you mentioned such as physical therapy, acupuncture, epidural steroid injections and even surgery, when indicated, can be only minimally helpful to the thousands who suffer from daily unbearable pain that lasts for years and up to a lifetime. Instead of using Percocet which lasts for only a few hours, most pain professionals will put the patient on a longer lasting opiate, such as a duragesic patch. There is no chance of abuse with this, and the patient becomes a contributing part of society again, and not a strain on the welfare system because they can't work. Until you've walked in the shoes of someone who has endured unbearable constant pain for years, you shouldn't write about such things. You've done a great disservice with this article.

Posted on 04/22/2007 at 7:04:00 PM

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