Scientists have known for a long time that people with opioid use disorder, also called OUD, often also suffer from chronic pain.
But they weren’t sure why these two problems are so strongly connected. A new study from researchers at The Ohio State University may help explain the link.
The researchers focused on something called central sensitization.
This is a condition where the brain and spinal cord process pain in an unusual way. In people with central sensitization, the spinal cord sends pain signals to the brain too easily.
At the same time, the brain has a hard time calming those signals down. This means people feel more pain, and the pain lasts longer.
The study, led by Dr. O. Trent Hall, looked at 141 people being treated for opioid addiction at the Ohio State Wexner Medical Center’s addiction treatment center. These patients answered questions about how much pain affected their daily life, how they felt about their quality of life, and what they believed about pain and addiction treatment.
The team found that people who showed more signs of central sensitization also reported worse quality of life. These individuals often said that pain was one of the main reasons they started using opioids.
Pain also made them delay getting help, continue using opioids, and even use more over time. Many also feared that pain could cause them to relapse in the future.
This study shows that chronic pain not only plays a role in starting opioid use, but it also makes treatment more difficult. People who have both chronic pain and opioid addiction face more problems when trying to quit than those with addiction alone.
The findings suggest that central sensitization might be a big reason why. By understanding and measuring this condition better, doctors and researchers may be able to create more effective treatments. Helping people manage both their pain and addiction could give them a better chance at recovery.
If you care about pain, please read studies about vitamin K deficiency linked to hip fractures in old people, and these vitamins could help reduce bone fracture risk.
For more health information, please see recent studies that Krill oil could improve muscle health in older people, and eating yogurt linked to lower frailty in older people.
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