Physicians concerns regarding the use of narcotic pain killers has come full circle during the past century. During the first half of the 1900s many physicians believed the use of opiates would lead to a large number of pain sufferers to become addicted. This belief resulted in large numbers of those with chronic pain, including cancer patients, perhaps suffering needlessly as relief was available.
During the latter part of the century, doctors reconsidered their beliefs concerning the risks of addiction versus the importance of pain relief for the sufferers. This new belief greatly influenced the increase of prescriptions handed out for chronic pain sufferers.
Physicians were again forced to re-evaluate their position concerning their earlier thoughts as pertaining to the potential for abuse and addiction. More and more, patients were in fact abusing and becoming dependent on the narcotics. These painkillers started showing up on the streets, resulting in a rise in criminality and societal dangers.
Recently doctors have chosen more of a middle of the road approach to the issue of prescribing narcotic pain killers. Increased research regarding the risk of addiction has lead to a new awareness among the medical community. While most chronic pain sufferers are not at risk of abusing medications, studies show that between 3 and 14 percent of the population are at risk of addiction. Research has provided doctors with some real numbers to consider and an awareness, which allows them to prescribe carefully and be on the lookout for signs that a patient is abusing and/or becoming addicted to the drug.
