opioid | Advanced Spine & Rehab, P.C.

Opioids in the Veterinary Field

Site Admin — Tue, 19 May 2020 01:31:07 +0000

When it comes to the opioid crisis, many people fail to realize the impact that the veterinary care field can have on the issue. While many efforts have been made to educate physicians and dentists about opioids, veterinary clinics are another possible source of opioids that can be abused. Just as with humans, animals receive opioids to help them deal with pain. As such, veterinary clinics and veterinarians have to be registered with the US Drug Enforcement Administration in order to stock, administer, prescribe and dispense opioids. Unfortunately, research has shown that those who are addicted to opioids are using veterinary clinics as one resource for obtaining the drugs they desire.

So, how does this affect the opioid crisis and how does it impact animals? Sadly, a recent survey found that 13 percent of veterinarians know that an animal owner intentionally hurt an animal in order to obtain opioid medications. In addition, 44 percent were aware of opioid abuse or misuse by either a staff member or a client. Yet, only 62 percent felt they had a role in helping to prevent opioid abuse and 73 percent reported that their training in regard to opioid abuse or misuse was just fair, poor or nonexistent. Furthermore, 64 percent reported that they had never completed continuing education on best practices for prescribing opioids.

Clearly, while it is at no fault of an veterinarians who are currently in practice, not enough is being done to help regulate potential opioid abuse within the veterinary field. If you or someone you love is suffering from opioid addiction, contact Advanced Spine & Rehab to learn more about our suboxone program.

The post Opioids in the Veterinary Field first appeared on Advanced Spine & Rehab, P.C..

Opioid Addiction: How Does One Become an Addict?

Site Admin — Mon, 17 Feb 2020 00:05:48 +0000

With more than 2 million Americans and around 15 million people worldwide misusing prescription opioids and heroin, it is clear that opioid abuse is a serious issue. In fact, more than 20,000 deaths in the United States were attributed to an overdose of prescription opioids in 2016 along with another 13,000 deaths resulting from heroin use. As such, drug overdose has become the leading cause of death among adults under the age of 50 in the United States, with opioids being responsible for about half of those deaths.

With so many deaths attributed to opioid abuse, it is only natural to wonder what causes this addiction. Unfortunately, there is not one simple “cause” that can be avoided in order to prevent abuse of opioids. Rather, opioid addiction is a complex issue that results from a combination of genetic, lifestyle and environmental factors. Those genes thought to be involved with opioid addiction are found in the endogenous opioid system, which is the body’s system for regulating pain and reward. It involves those opioid substances that occur naturally in the body, but opioid medications and heroin are able to exert their effects on these same receptors. Current research indicates that differences in the structure of these receptors influence how the body responds to opioids.

Of course, understanding how addiction occurs is only one component toward recovery. At Advanced Spine and Rehab, we utilize Suboxone along with other behavioral methods to help treat opioid addiction in a multi-faceted way. Contact us today to learn more!

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The post Opioid Addiction: How Does One Become an Addict? first appeared on Advanced Spine & Rehab, P.C..

Tips for Proper Care and Disposal of Opioid Medication

Site Admin — Sat, 15 Jun 2019 18:08:06 +0000

If you or someone in your household is using prescription opioids for pain relief, it is important to ensure you follow certain procedures in order to prevent misuse, addiction and overdose from occurring. Three basic tips to follow include:

Store opioids in a secure location.
Never share prescription opioids.
Dispose of leftover or expired prescription opioids properly.

When it comes to medication such as opioids, it is important to store them in a location that is more secure than simply placing them in your medicine cabinet. When kept in the medicine cabinet, opioids can very easily be accessed by children, family members and anyone who visits your home. This increases the risk of the medication being abused. Similarly, you should never purposely share your prescription with someone else. Sadly, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration reports that more than half of those who misuse prescribed opioids get them from a friend or relative.

Disposal of Opioid Medication

To dispose of leftover or expired medication, consider following these tips:

Remove the label that contains your name and any other identifying information.
Check to see if your municipal trash offers any drop-off options within your community, such as dropping the medication off at your local police station.
Contact pharmacies and health care clinics to see if they have drop-off boxes or specially designed drug disposal envelopes that can be used to mail the medication to an approved facility.
Flush the medication down toilet or mix it with kitty litter, dirt or coffee grounds before throwing it away.

For more information about opioids or opioid treatment programs such as the use of suboxone, contact Advanced Spine & Rehab today!

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The post Tips for Proper Care and Disposal of Opioid Medication first appeared on Advanced Spine & Rehab, P.C..