Is an opioid really the best medication for my pain?

As physicians, many of our daily practices involve administration of substances that are shrouded in mystery. Certain medications, specifically opioids, have been part of tragic news stories, and have turned young children into orphans, happy spouses into widows and widowers, and once-aspirational youth into memories. The CDC reports that on average, 130 people die each day from an opioid overdose. With such harrowing statistics, why take opioids in the first place? Well, if used appropriately, opioids can significantly improve pain with relatively tolerable side effects. A short-term course of opioids (typically three to seven days) prescribed following an injury, like a broken bone, or after a surgical procedure, is usually quite safe. It’s long-term use that can lead to problems, including the risk of addiction

from https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/is-an-opioid-really-the-best-medication-for-my-pain-2019061916834

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