Managing Opioid Tolerance: Balancing Pain Relief and Tackling Addiction.

Abstract

This editorial discusses opioid tolerance, a growing challenge in managing pain in chronic patients. With time, overuse of opioids causes less sensitivity and responsiveness of opioid receptors and leads to higher doses of opioids for the same level of pain management. Due to this, it increases the risk of side effects, such as opioid addiction, respiratory issues, and overdose. The editorial highlights the relationship between opioid use disorder (OUD) and opioid tolerance and discusses the difficulty faced by patients and doctors during opioid tolerance. To address these challenges, a multimodal pain management approach, including physical therapies, cognitive-behavioural therapy, and opioid rotation, is proposed to enhance pain relief while reducing dependency. Policy changes and further research into alternative pain management methods and mechanisms of opioid tolerance in patients are needed to improve and limit the opioid crisis effectively.