People who have severe, chronic pain may be given the option of taking opioid medications (narcotics) to help manage their pain and live some semblance of a normal life. For those who are not facing end-of-life issues with cancer, this can become a life-long management tool. Whenever opioids are discussed, there is always a concern raised about safety, especially physical dependency and addiction.
Experts agree that with the right drug and dosage, patients who are monitored carefully and consistently by their medical doctors can manage their pain effectively — and without the down side of addiction or physical dependency.
But as new evidence shows, addiction isn’t the only adverse effect of opioids. Difficulty concentrating, memory loss, slower physical reaction time, and slower processing of information are additional potential side effects of these powerful pain relievers.
Some experts in the area of pain research have suggested that anyone who is given a prescription for opioids should also be given a simple baseline test to assess cognitive function. Then if it turns out the prescription becomes a long-term event, retesting can be done. Any observed change(s) in cognitive function would signal the need to review the medication and possibly change the drug or drug dosage.
If you notice anything unusual, the onset of new (or different) symptoms, and any change in the intensity, duration, or frequency of your current symptoms, report these immediately to your physician. Otherwise, if you are experiencing good control of your pain without any compromising changes in your health, you are “good-to-go” as the modern phrase puts it so well.