Pain and Addiction: An Integrative Therapeutic Approach

• Published in: The Medical clinics of North America Vol. 102; no. 4; p. 745
• Main Authors: Manhapra, Ajay, Becker, William C
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States 01.07.2018
• Subjects: Age Factors; Analgesics, Opioid - administration & dosage; Analgesics, Opioid - adverse effects; Analgesics, Opioid - therapeutic use; Behavior, Addictive - epidemiology; Behavior, Addictive - psychology; Chronic Pain - drug therapy; Chronic Pain - epidemiology; Chronic Pain - psychology; Health Status; Humans; Mental Disorders - epidemiology; Mental Disorders - psychology; Multimorbidity; Opioid-Related Disorders - diagnosis; Opioid-Related Disorders - epidemiology; Opioid-Related Disorders - psychology; Self Efficacy; Sex Factors; Socioeconomic Factors; Substance-Related Disorders - epidemiology; Substance-Related Disorders - psychology; Substance use disorder; Pain; Treatment; Addiction; Management; Opioid use disorder; Chronic pain; Multimorbidity
• ISSN: 1557-9859
• DOI: 10.1016/j.mcna.2018.02.013

The current opioid crisis highlights an urgent need for better paradigms for prevention and treatment of chronic pain and addiction. Although many approach this complex clinical condition with the question, "Is this pain or is this addiction?," it is more than the sum of its parts. Chronic pain among those with dependence and addiction often evolves into a complex disabling condition with pain at multiple sites, psychosocial dysfunctions, medical and psychiatric disorders, polypharmacy, and polysubstance use, all interacting with each other in complex ways (multimorbidity). The authors offer an integrative therapeutic approach to manage this complex clinical scenario.