Category: Pain Management

Physicians behind bars: the consequences of medical misjustice

In 1985, Mr. Charles McCrory was on trial. Charles had found his wife dead, and her family was convinced that he was responsible, despite the fact that Charles denied any involvement and just wanted to grieve in peace. There was no real evidence agains…

A breakthrough in chronic pain detection?

Recently, a group of researchers at the University of California, San Francisco, reported that they may have found the holy grail of pain management. They accomplished this by performing “the first-in-human, long-term direct brain measurement of …

Balancing medical ethics in opioid treatment

What is a legitimate medical reason to prescribe an opioid medication today? For pain or addiction? Who decides which patients are worthy of treatment? This question is not just of academic interest. Any prescribing medical provider today must constant…

Addressing dual diagnosis needs in addiction treatment

An excerpt from Slow Dancing with the Devil: A Son’s Substance Use Disorder, A Mother’s Anguish. The only time my anxiety was gone, or at least on pause, was when Luke was in a treatment center or sobriety house. I knew he was safe and surr…

Vague criteria can lead to misdiagnosis and prison

The definition of addiction, now called substance use disorder, has varied greatly over time. The first edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual, from 1952, didn’t include specific diagnostic criteria for this condition. Over the next six…

Balancing pain management and legal realities [PODCAST]

Subscribe to The Podcast by KevinMD. Catch up on old episodes! Join L. Joseph Parker, a research physician, as we dive into the intricate world of medical practice and legal challenges faced by health care professionals treating patients with pain and …

Balancing pain management and legal realities [PODCAST]

Subscribe to The Podcast by KevinMD. Catch up on old episodes! Join L. Joseph Parker, a research physician, as we dive into the intricate world of medical practice and legal challenges faced by health care professionals treating patients with pain and …

Balancing opioid medication in chronic pain

She walked in with a cane, bent over like a question mark. She was in her seventies and as sweet as people in that age group tend to be. I think most of the cranky ones don’t make it that far. She was something of an emergency because her doctor …

Doctor convictions: Unmasking the 3 threats you need to know

Why would anyone lie about you? And what makes you prone to conviction? There are three types of people that will absolutely bring your world crashing down on you, and you need to know who they are. But first, we need to understand the formula that pro…

Misunderstandings about opioid use disorder

At a recent scientific conference on narcotics, a researcher mused, “Honestly, opioids make me feel gross. I don’t see how anyone could get addicted.” This is a little like a doctor in the delivery end of a needle saying, “Hones…