A panel convened by the National Institutes of Health reported that there is a dire need for specialized pain care, as the majority of patients receive solely opioids. This approach is seen as detrimental due to the lack of studies on opioids' long-term effects and their documented detrimental effects.
Morphine still dominates battlefield pain management despite the downstream potential for opioid abuse and addiction. Recent years have seen an increased caution around opioid use and employment of alternative pain relief techniques. A June 2014 report found that following combat deployment, 15.1% of troops regularly use opioids to manage chronic pain. Innovations in pain management are needed.
The American Academy of Neurology has released a report that details the detrimental effects of reliance on opioids for chronic pain. The study revealed that half of those who initially take opioids for three months are still taking them five years later. This is a dangerous statistic, as opioids are prone to abuse and overdose.