What is pain due to use of opioids?
Pain due to overuse of morphine, also known as 'opioid-induced hyperalgesia', is described as an increasing sensitivity to pain with increasing amounts of morphine.
Cause
The cause is unknown, but it is thought to be possibly associated with the processing of pain signals in the brain.
Signs and symptoms
Patients complain of increasing pain despite repeated increases in the dose of morphine. Patients sometimes complain that touch alone is painful or that they experience a great deal of pain from a normal pain stimulus.
How is opioids pain diagnosed?
A general physical examination and an extensive neurological examination are highly important for ruling out other causes.
Do I need additional examinations?
- Diagnostic examination for other non-physical factors important for your pain, have already been done by yourself trough filling out your pain questionnaires.
- Tests to rule out other causes such as small fiber neuropathy
What are my treatment possibilities?
Multidisciplinary Treatment
Depending on the cause of your pain, your pain specialist will decide whether or not to embark on physical treatment. Based on the results of the completed pain questionnaire, additional examinations can be carried out and, apart from physical treatment, other methods of treatment will be suggested.
Non-physical Treatments
If the results of your pain questionnaire are abnormal, your pain specialist will offer you one of the non-physical treatments listed below:
- Psychological Treatment
- Depression Treatment
- Cognitive-Behavioural Treatment
- Rehabilitation Treatment
Physical Treatments
Medication
- Total reduction of the prescribed opioids (morfines).