Patients need pain relief that doesn't just cause more pain. A new study found that opioids shockingly cause an increase in chronic pain in lab rats.The study showed that only a few days with morphine treatment potentially caused several months worth of chronic pain. This is due to the exacerbation of the release of pain signals from immune cells in the spinal cord.
The rise in opioids prescriptions could also be the cause of the rise of chronic pain. Even a brief exposure to opioids can cause severe long-term effects on chronic pain. A case of the treatment contributing and prolonging the problem.
Glial cells in the spinal cord receive a message from damaged nerve cells resulting in a nerve injury. The pain signal sends glial cells into an alert mode. Research has found that treatment with opioids for pain send the glial cells into over drive within 5 days. The actions of the glial cells ultimately cause spinal cord inflammation.
The combination of the initial pain signals and the morphine treatment make the glial cells rush into action and the pain neurons go crazy. The two parts of the process work together to cause a "glial cell signaling cascade". This intense increase of activity of pain-responsive nerve cells in the spinal cord and brain can increase intensity and pain duration.
In a recent study patients using medical marijuana to control chronic pain reported a 64% decrease in use of opioids for pain relief. The patients also reported a 45% increase in their quality of life. The use of medical marijuana could be the new alternative for harsh opioids for pain management. Thankfully, New York has legalized the use of medicinal marijuana.
