What many people may not know is that long-term use of NSAIDs and opioids can have dangerous side effects. NSAIDs come with serious warning labels and carry even greater risk for people with kidney, stomach or heart conditions. Prescription opioid use -- and resulting deaths -- have quadrupled over the last 20 years, according to the CDC. People using opioids are also at risk for heart issues, addiction, falls and other accidents due to extreme drowsiness.
“Osteoarthritis patients just want to be able to get through their day, but opioids (narcotics) and NSAIDs should not be a first choice for chronic disease management; we need to explore other options,” says Dr. Dean Mariano, director of the Spine and Pain Institute at MidState Medical Center in Connecticut and chairman of the Connecticut State Medical Society’s Task Force on Opioids.
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