Pain-Illness

The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has just issued new guidelines reassuring ‘doctors that they won’t be prosecuted for prescribing high doses of painkillers for patients who truly need them. In recent years, you may have been under-treated for pain because doctors feared landing on a DEA “watch list.” Some experts say up to 40% of seriously ill patients may have been under-treated.

Doctors still have to ensure that their pain patients are not abusing prescriptions, by maintaining records showing they performed a thorough medical history and by conducting physical exams to document the need for the painkiller. But if you’ve ever been in severe pain and had to practically beg for proper medication, this new program is good news. If the need arises, make sure your M.D. is aware of it. [ via http://www.earlytorise.com ]