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Article: Take patient's word in judging chronic pain.(pain management guidelines)
- Article from:
- Clinical Psychiatry News
- Article date:
- November 1, 2006
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2006 International Medical News Group. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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ORLANDO -- Do not confuse addiction with physical dependence when prescribing opioids for your chronic pain patients, Dr. Jennifer P. Schneider advised at the annual clinical meeting of the American Academy of Pain Management.
Trust patients to tell the truth when they complain of pain and counsel them about the side effects of opioids.
Dr. Schneider, an internist whose Tucson, Ariz., practice focuses on addiction medicine and pain management, stressed that the patient's word is the gold standard when it comes to judging his or her own pain. However, she said, "Doctors are uncomfortable with this."
The field of chronic pain management is full ...