Unlike long-term opioid use, frequent cannabis use does not increase sensitivity to pain. Read More
A new study links high-dose opioid use to an increased risk of hearing loss and auditory problems. Researchers believe hearing problems may be a result of toxicity to the ear related to opioid exposure. Read More
Study finds no evidence to suggest cannabis helps patients with opioid use disorder to stop using opioids. Read More
35% of patients who used ketamine to manage pain reported significant side effects ranging from hallucination, out-of-body experiences, visual disturbances, and urinary dysfunction. 20% of the side effects were linked directly to ketamine, and 15% associated with ketamine in combination with other drugs. Read More
Opiate exposure causes synaptic rewiring in the nucleus accumbens in addition to decreasing dendritic spines. The findings shed light into the neurobiology of opiate relapse. Read More
Inflammation caused by opioid use to both the brain and gut may exacerbate symptoms of negative emotions associated with withdrawal. Targeting the inflammation could help alleviate the negative experiences of opioid withdrawal and prevent dependence. Read More
Almost 1 in 5 people now use opioids to treat migraines. Researchers say a growing number of patients are using opioids to replace medications approved and specially designed to treat migraines, despite knowing the risks of opioid use. Read More
A new study clarifies the mechanism behind how ketamine works as an antidepressant. Researchers say there is evidence to suggest ketamine binds to NMDA receptors, instead of opioid receptors. Reducing the belief that ketamine is an opioid may make patients with depression more open to using the treatment. Read More
SSRI antidepressants, such as Prozac and Paxil, interact with opioid medications to make them less effective at providing relief from chronic pain. Tramadol relies on activation of the CYP2D6 enzyme to control pain, but SSRIs inhibit this enzyme. Researchers suggest prescribing different classes of antidepressants which do not suppress the enzyme may benefit those in need of opioid medications. Alternatively, non-opioid pain killers should be considered for those who can not switch from SSRIs. Read More
Galantamine, a medication used to treat Alzheimer's disease, shows promise in helping break opioid addiction. Read More
Opioids are often prescribed to help those with chronic pain manage sleep problems associated with their condition. New research reports opioids effect on sleep quality is limited and of poor quality. Additionally, opioids can increase the risk of sleep apnea. Read More
Researchers report a 41% increase in the prescription of opioids for small animals over the past 10 years. The study reports the increase could potentially provide human access to the drugs, fueling the opioid epidemic. Read More
