Opioids Offer Only Minor Pain Relief for People With Osteoarthritis

A review presented at the American College of Rheumatology's annual meeting determined opioids only offer minor pain relief to people with osteoarthritis, and should almost never be used in such a capacity, reports Healthline . The authors wrote that generally, "opioids demonstrate only small benefits on pain and function from two to 12 weeks of treatment and no measurable benefit to quality of life or depression." The researchers looked at 23 previously published clinical trials, and Emory University School of Medicine Professor John Xerogeanes explained that opiates "just distract you by making you tired or feeling dystrophic. They don't really get rid of the pain." Xerogeanes said combining the common pain reliever Tylenol and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as ibuprofen offers better pain relief than opioids. "The last thing you want to do for someone with chronic pain is give them opioids," he warned. "Not only will they suffer side effects such as constipation, but over the long run they can become dependent on these drugs."