$Unique_ID{BRK02051}
$Pretitle{}
$Title{The Necessity of Narcotics in Certain Medical Situations}
$Subject{narcotics narcotic medications injury injuries emergency room
addiction pain medication recovery acute pain drug dependency pain killer pain
killers}
$Volume{}
$Log{}

Copyright (c) 1993  Tribune Media Services, Inc.


The Necessity of Narcotics in Certain Medical Situations


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QUESTION:  What do you think of a doctor who injects a narcotic as his first
choice for pain medication?  My daughter was in a car accident and when taken
to the emergency room, was examined and treated by a doctor who seemed to be
just out of med school.  After a question or two to verify that my daughter
wasn't already a junkie, he proceeded to make her one by giving her a most
powerful narcotic drug.  Doesn't he realize that this is the first step to
addiction?  I wish you would do something about this and at least publish a
warning in your column.

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ANSWER:  Your words reflect your anger which most certainly must come from
your anxiety and concern about your daughter.  A car accident is serious
business, and can result in injuries that are not only severe but most painful
as well.  Under circumstance such as these a powerful narcotic IS the
medication of preference.  And your worry about this being the beginning of an
addiction is misplaced, for medications used in an acute situation are not the
source of addiction.  Recent research in pain medication demonstrate that
undertreated pain can result in slower recovery and longer hospital stays,
while an appropriate dose of a narcotic can be the best way to treat acute
pain.  I am sure that if your daughter had been a former addict, another
medication would have been chosen.  The doctor may have looked young and
inexperienced, but he was playing by the latest rules, and provided your
daughter with the correct care.  The physicians you meet these days in
hospital emergency room are usually highly trained, very skilled, and
experienced beyond their youthful appearance.

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The material contained here is "FOR INFORMATION ONLY" and should not replace
the counsel and advice of your personal physician.  Promptly consulting your
doctor is the best path to a quick and successful resolution of any medical
problem.