FDA and CDC Working to Curb National Epidemic of Prescription Painkiller Abuse
If You’re Experiencing Chronic Pain, Find Out Why
Opioid Medication is NOT the Proper Treatment
When asked how they became hooked on prescribed painkillers, patients at Sponaugle Wellness Institute tell us they were looking for relief from Chronic Pain caused by backaches or dental pain. These painkillers, also known as opioid medication, typically go by brand names such as Oxycontin, Percocet, and Vicodin.
While Dr. Sponaugle has been sharing for years that opioid medication is NOT the proper treatment for Chronic Pain, the Sponaugle Wellness Institute applauds recent efforts by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to curb an epidemic of prescription painkiller abuse in the U.S.
Starting last week, the FDA announced new labeling requirements (“boxed warnings” about misuse) for the prescribed painkillers, while the CDC announced stringent new guidelines for doctors prescribing the opioid medication.
We are at a time when the unfathomable tragedies resulting from addiction, overdose, and death has become one of the most urgent, devastating public health crises facing our country,” FDA Commissioner Dr. Robert Califf told reporters at a March 22 news briefing.
He said the agency works with other agencies, drug makers, doctors, and patients “to prevent abuse, save lives, and treat dependence while still providing patients in pain access to effective relief.”
Why Are Opioids NOT the Proper Treatment for Chronic Pain?
Dr. Spanuagle has proven through his research that taking opioid medication, over time, causes a person to experience more physical pain than before they started taking the prescribed painkillers – as the medication amplifies incoming electrical pain signals in the brain.
Plus, over-abuse of opioid medication typically results in a Gut Toxic Brain*, causing deficiencies of Serotonin and Taurine (the brain’s calming chemicals), which can lead to depression, anxiety, and more. So opioid medication compounds the health and mental issues (versus solving them).
Dr. Sponaugle has been sharing this research with Chronic Pain patients for years and was even asked to speak with NFL players about his findings as early as 2009!
Learn more about this research and see PET-Brain scans of a healthy brain vs. a Gut Toxic Brain on our Chronic Pain page.
At Sponaugle Wellness Institute, we treat patients for opioid addiction while helping them find better ways to deal with their Chronic Pain issues.
