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The New England Journal of Medicine estimates that 30 to 40 percent of the US population suffers some form of chronic pain, from recurring headaches to debilitating back pain and everything in between. While not all of these conditions are treated with opioid painkillers, some 259 million prescriptions for opioids are dispensed each year in the US.… Continue reading Colorado Chronic Pain Sufferers Find Non-Opioid Treatments that Work

The nation’s opioid crisis is still in full effect, and many doctors are looking to explore non-opioid options for chronic pain management. As of August 2, 2019, Colorado doctors have been granted a new possibility. With the enactment of SB 19-013, doctors in the state can now recommend medical marijuana in place of opioid painkillers. The decision does have its… Continue reading Colorado Doctors Talk Pain Treatment: Medical Marijuana vs. Opioids

Opioid addiction and dependence are significant problems across the United States. According to the NIH NationalInstitute on Drug Abuse, more than 130 people die every day in the United States from opioid overdoses. This statistic includes heroin, fentanyl and prescription pain medications. The opioid epidemic is described as a national crisis affecting public health along with the… Continue reading Treating Opioid Addiction with Ibogaine

There are always many factors that determine whether someone develops an opioid addiction. It is good to be aware of them as you evaluate your own behavior or that of loved ones since opioid addiction has become increasingly deadly in recent years. Here are the top risk factors for opioid addiction for Colorado residents to consider.… Continue reading Top 6 Risk Factors for Opioid Addiction in Colorado

Learn about the many different side effects opioids can cause and why opioids are some of the most lethal addictive drugs in the United States. Opioid addiction is a serious epidemic occurring not only in urban areas in Colorado like Denver, Colorado Springs and Boulder, but also in rural areas statewide and throughout the nation. Misuse… Continue reading Signs, Symptoms & Side Effects of Opioid Addiction

Denver, Boulder, Colorado Springs and other cities and towns in Colorado have felt the tremendous impacts of the nationwide opioid crisis. This includes a 54% increase in opioid overdose deaths from 2019 to 2020. In 2020 alone, almost 1,500 Coloradans died from an overdose. An opioid use disorder could lead to an overdose, but treatment is possible. Successful, long-term recovery begins… Continue reading Opioid Withdrawal Symptoms and Detox in Colorado

Opioids have become an increasing problem in Colorado, especially in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. Opioid overdose deaths rose by 54% in 2020, making it the deadliest year of drug overdoses in Colorado history. Although the state is taking steps to curb opioid-related deaths, the statistics remain troubling. Opioid addiction is difficult to overcome alone, but help is… Continue reading Opioid Rehab in Colorado

The state of Oklahoma is piloting an opioid relapse prevention program that includes giving the drug Vivitrol to prison inmates. The Tulsa County Sheriff’s Office will now allow the use of this treatment, which is a form of the drug naltrexone, for people in prison. Vivitrol blocks opioid receptors in the brain and can provide help for people… Continue reading  Oklahoma Pilots Opioid Relapse Prevention Drug to Inmates

Narcan is a life-saving medication that instantaneously reverses an opioid overdose. This effect is only temporary, though, so emergency treatment is still necessary. Narcan (naloxone) is a medication that can save a person’s life during an opioid overdose. Narcan temporarily reverses the effects of an opioid overdose, allowing the person who is overdosing to get emergency treatment… Continue reading Narcan (Naloxone) for Reversing Opioid Overdose

While Colorado celebrates the first reduction in drug overdose deaths since 2012, the state recognizes that most drug poisoning deaths are actually increasing. In 2018, the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment reported 974 deaths from drug overdoses, a decrease from 1,012 in 2017. Prescription opioids specifically declined from 373 deaths in 2017 to 349 in 2018. Officials are cautiously… Continue reading Prescription Opioid Overdoses Decline in Colorado While Meth Addiction Remains a Significant Threat