1 in 4 people dependent on painkillers

MORE than a quarter of people in Yorkshire who take painkillers are relying on the drugs to get them through their day, a new report warns.

According to research published today by Nuffield Health, our region is in danger of becoming hooked on painkillers while some risk a “bleak existence” as they looked for an easy way to manage long-term complaints.

Manoj Krishna, a consultant spinal surgeon at Nuffield Heath in York, said: “A lack of knowledge, or fear about treatment can lead some patients into long-term use of painkillers, often without a clear diagnosis by a specialist.

“This can be a very bleak existence with patients becoming depressed, losing their jobs, and often becoming dependent on the drugs.

“I regularly see patients who struggle to deal with drug addiction after their medical condition has been successfully treated.

“With advances in medicine there are many new treatment options available and it is important that patients explore these options fully.”

Mr Kirshna said: “Surgery, injections, physiotherapy or even an exercise programme may be more appropriate.”

The figures, which follow a survey of 3,100 people, reveal that while more than half of those questioned had suffered pain without resorting to medication in the last 12 months, there are people in Yorkshire and the Humber region relying heavily on the drugs.

More than one in ten admitted taking more than the recommended dose, while a fifth said they took between five and ten pills a day.

Nearly a third said they had been using painkillers for more than five years and 27 per cent admitted they were concerned about their dependency on pills to manage their daily life.

Cabella Lowe, head of physiotherapy services at Nuffield, said: “The most important action is to seek expert advice quickly as research shows that early intervention is key to getting rid of pain. Worries about dependency are staggeringly high and match an increasing trend for people to use painkillers as a solution.”

Of those still reporting pain or injury, one in three was unable to exercise, almost a fifth said it had affected their confidence and 15 per cent reported suffering from depression.

Comments(25)

dodgydavereturns says...
10:11am Tue 26 Feb 13

That'll be everyone who reads the posts of P.P. Then.

Podlet says...
10:16am Tue 26 Feb 13

Ouch!

Podlet says...
10:17am Tue 26 Feb 13

Ouch!

rupertbehr says...
10:19am Tue 26 Feb 13

I take Tramadol for pain, and Naproxin
to control the swelling without which,
I CANNOT walk.
I am not addicted, in fact I try to cut down on numbers whenever possible, only to be told by my GP ...... Your on strong painkillers for a reason use them !!!
Exercise ? (When the pain is bearable I take every opportunity to swim)
Do me a favour, Go patronise elsewhere

Podlet says...
10:20am Tue 26 Feb 13

The second one was at the thought - "no - no pedalling paracetemol"

I'll get my tramadol.

asd says...
10:32am Tue 26 Feb 13

its going to get worse to when NHS privatisation kicks in. Less operations to cut costs so more dependancy on drugs. Well done goverment, you toffy nose eton gits, it will be no surprise your chums on these insurance, pharmaceutical and hospital suppliers start getting a nice increase in demand.They then can give your parties a nice donation.

rupertbehr says...
10:34am Tue 26 Feb 13

rupertbehr wrote:
I take Tramadol for pain, and Naproxin
to control the swelling without which,
I CANNOT walk.
I am not addicted, in fact I try to cut down on numbers whenever possible, only to be told by my GP ...... Your on strong painkillers for a reason use them !!!
Exercise ? (When the pain is bearable I take every opportunity to swim)
Do me a favour, Go patronise elsewhere
NB:- My injuries (pain) are not directly related to the spine, .......apparently,
that is yet to come !!!!

Rosieposie says...
10:38am Tue 26 Feb 13

Well I was given tramadol and still have at least 8 packs....decided against them even though I have worked in the pain arena. For me exercise from the physio and joint injection of steroids made the most difference. It is very easy to become dependant on pain medication, this does not mean not taking it but looking at triggers for pain, when painkillers are needed and when movement is best. Fear of pain is awful and unless you have had chronic pain you will find it hard to understand. Listen to your body, talk to a physio and do the exercises the difference will astound you. My Mum was unable to pick us up when we were kids and was limited due to back pain, 20 years ago she was referred to a physio, did the exercises and now at 76 is fitter than me, she did those exercises religiously for years and reaped the benefit.

ReginaldBiscuit says...
11:26am Tue 26 Feb 13

3 in 4 youths dependent on Mcdonalds.

Me old ma and pa have to take an assortment of prescribed drugs and painkillers every morning. I watch them and think "The amount of blow and the number of mushrooms I did when I was younger is nothing compared to this". You could pick both of them up, shake them and make them rattle. For old people, Snap, Crackle and Pop aren't breakfast cereals anymore. It's a classic sign of a system that's out of control. Script happy GP's processing comfort in a bottle.

In the old days before when you could eat or smoke anything for an ailment (before politics got into drugs and vice versa), drug dependency or taking was probably not anywhere near as high as it is now. A nice eighth of Moroccan Black (which you could argue is a natural herbal remedy as opposed to a manufactured one) does wonders for arthritis and there's nothing more telling about where a society has gone wrong when you see two burly coppers in hi-vis vests man-handling a one-legged disabled man with chronic arthritis into the back of one of their ice cream vans for the crime of smoking dope to give pain relief.

timcore says...
12:28pm Tue 26 Feb 13

How do you become part of the clique on here? I want to make jibes at local cycling enthusiasts, laugh at the area's more "colourful" alcoholic residents and berate the city's politicians for their ineptitude, but I'm worried nobody will ever reply to me. What do I have to do to get people to copy and paste my posts into an amusing reply and not feel like a massive social outcast?

dodgydavereturns says...
12:44pm Tue 26 Feb 13

timcore wrote:
How do you become part of the clique on here? I want to make jibes at local cycling enthusiasts, laugh at the area's more "colourful" alcoholic residents and berate the city's politicians for their ineptitude, but I'm worried nobody will ever reply to me. What do I have to do to get people to copy and paste my posts into an amusing reply and not feel like a massive social outcast?
You've done it!

Welcome to Royston Vasey!
......You'll never leave!

Buzz Light-year says...
12:52pm Tue 26 Feb 13

Rosieposie says...
10:38am Tue 26 Feb 13

Well I was given tramadol and still have at least 8 packs....decided against them

I know someone who will take them off your hands...

Rosieposie says...
12:59pm Tue 26 Feb 13

And therein lies the problem....

timcore says...
1:01pm Tue 26 Feb 13

dodgydavereturns wrote:
timcore wrote:
How do you become part of the clique on here? I want to make jibes at local cycling enthusiasts, laugh at the area's more "colourful" alcoholic residents and berate the city's politicians for their ineptitude, but I'm worried nobody will ever reply to me. What do I have to do to get people to copy and paste my posts into an amusing reply and not feel like a massive social outcast?
You've done it!

Welcome to Royston Vasey!
......You'll never leave!
Made it, Ma! Top of the world!

Podlet says...
1:20pm Tue 26 Feb 13

timcore wrote:
dodgydavereturns wrote:
timcore wrote:
How do you become part of the clique on here? I want to make jibes at local cycling enthusiasts, laugh at the area's more "colourful" alcoholic residents and berate the city's politicians for their ineptitude, but I'm worried nobody will ever reply to me. What do I have to do to get people to copy and paste my posts into an amusing reply and not feel like a massive social outcast?
You've done it!

Welcome to Royston Vasey!
......You'll never leave!
Made it, Ma! Top of the world!
And hope to heck you have your troll proof vest on!

timcore says...
1:34pm Tue 26 Feb 13

Podlet wrote:
timcore wrote:
dodgydavereturns wrote:
timcore wrote:
How do you become part of the clique on here? I want to make jibes at local cycling enthusiasts, laugh at the area's more "colourful" alcoholic residents and berate the city's politicians for their ineptitude, but I'm worried nobody will ever reply to me. What do I have to do to get people to copy and paste my posts into an amusing reply and not feel like a massive social outcast?
You've done it!

Welcome to Royston Vasey!
......You'll never leave!
Made it, Ma! Top of the world!
And hope to heck you have your troll proof vest on!
I'm sure all this copying and pasting of the same thing +1 new comment is annoying a few people. I may as well paint a bullseye on my face.

ReginaldBiscuit says...
1:38pm Tue 26 Feb 13

timcore wrote:
How do you become part of the clique on here? I want to make jibes at local cycling enthusiasts, laugh at the area's more "colourful" alcoholic residents and berate the city's politicians for their ineptitude, but I'm worried nobody will ever reply to me. What do I have to do to get people to copy and paste my posts into an amusing reply and not feel like a massive social outcast?
You can checkout any time you like, but you may never leave.

hustler says...
1:42pm Tue 26 Feb 13

timcore wrote:
How do you become part of the clique on here? I want to make jibes at local cycling enthusiasts, laugh at the area's more "colourful" alcoholic residents and berate the city's politicians for their ineptitude, but I'm worried nobody will ever reply to me. What do I have to do to get people to copy and paste my posts into an amusing reply and not feel like a massive social outcast?
As advised in the posts above. OR ... alternatively, make a couple of spelling or grammatical errors and you'll be pounced on soon enough !

timcore says...
1:49pm Tue 26 Feb 13

ReginaldBiscuit wrote:
timcore wrote:
How do you become part of the clique on here? I want to make jibes at local cycling enthusiasts, laugh at the area's more "colourful" alcoholic residents and berate the city's politicians for their ineptitude, but I'm worried nobody will ever reply to me. What do I have to do to get people to copy and paste my posts into an amusing reply and not feel like a massive social outcast?
You can checkout any time you like, but you may never leave.
I'll bear that in mind. The next thing you'll be telling me there is no wine here and hasn't been since some time in the late 60s.

Podlet says...
1:50pm Tue 26 Feb 13

Timcore - a bullseye would make a change from the usual bull product found on this site :) Ah! The pain!

timcore says...
1:50pm Tue 26 Feb 13

hustler wrote:
timcore wrote:
How do you become part of the clique on here? I want to make jibes at local cycling enthusiasts, laugh at the area's more "colourful" alcoholic residents and berate the city's politicians for their ineptitude, but I'm worried nobody will ever reply to me. What do I have to do to get people to copy and paste my posts into an amusing reply and not feel like a massive social outcast?
As advised in the posts above. OR ... alternatively, make a couple of spelling or grammatical errors and you'll be pounced on soon enough !
Tankyou.

timcore says...
1:51pm Tue 26 Feb 13

Podlet wrote:
Timcore - a bullseye would make a change from the usual bull product found on this site :) Ah! The pain!
Oof! Stop horsing around, etc.

Garrowby Turnoff says...
4:00pm Tue 26 Feb 13

hustler wrote:
timcore wrote:
How do you become part of the clique on here? I want to make jibes at local cycling enthusiasts, laugh at the area's more "colourful" alcoholic residents and berate the city's politicians for their ineptitude, but I'm worried nobody will ever reply to me. What do I have to do to get people to copy and paste my posts into an amusing reply and not feel like a massive social outcast?
As advised in the posts above. OR ... alternatively, make a couple of spelling or grammatical errors and you'll be pounced on soon enough !
Dear hustler,

There shouldn't be a space between the last letter of "enough" and the exclamation mark. And, the use of both "OR" (no need for a capital 'R') and "alternatively" is superfluous as they mean the same.

See me...

Garrowby Turnoff says...
4:11pm Tue 26 Feb 13

rupertbehr wrote:
rupertbehr wrote:
I take Tramadol for pain, and Naproxin
to control the swelling without which,
I CANNOT walk.
I am not addicted, in fact I try to cut down on numbers whenever possible, only to be told by my GP ...... Your on strong painkillers for a reason use them !!!
Exercise ? (When the pain is bearable I take every opportunity to swim)
Do me a favour, Go patronise elsewhere
NB:- My injuries (pain) are not directly related to the spine, .......apparently,
that is yet to come !!!!
I take several 3R,4S,beta-S-13-fluo
ro ohmefentanyl a day but it still doesn't dull the pain of being a City supporter.

NoMorePlease says...
6:49pm Tue 26 Feb 13

Really laughing at some of these posts.

click2find

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