Who Answers?
Why are so many youths getting prescription opioids too far in advance of surgeries and months afterward? According to a recent study, these frequent trips to the pharmacy aren’t associated with pain. The research shows that these teens are getting opioid prescriptions filled three to six months after their surgeries, which is rare for minor procedures. Why should this concern parents?
Close to 1.4 million young people have surgery every year in the United States. That’s a significant number when you consider that most of them will receive pain medications. Still using opioids months after surgery is often a sign of addiction. Some of the prescriptions were filled two weeks ahead of procedures that aren’t known to be associated with post-operative pain.
Interestingly, studies have shown that severe pain after surgery is not the cause of ongoing opioid use. Experts note that there are non-narcotic medications that can often control the pain after the specific procedures teens are having.
This new finding is significant because clinicians need effective means to manage surgical pain that doesn’t contribute to the persistent opioid crisis. Of course, there are times when opioids are necessary, but in most cases, physicians do not recommend taking pain medications months after a procedure.
With so many adults fighting opioid addiction, parents must be aware of what their children are taking and for how long. Prolonged use of these medicines after surgery can produce many complications. It can also quickly become an addiction for teens who are experimenting and don’t understand the severe consequences of opioid use, authorities caution.
For these youths, filling prescriptions several months after minimal procedures is a big problem. It shows we still have work to do regarding the opioid crisis and how to manage it, especially with youth. Many are calling for policymakers to update guidelines and legislation to help. Perhaps a new standard of care is needed to protect young people from becoming another opioid use statistic.
