New guidelines helping local doctors to avoid opioid over prescribing


By: Nicole Johnson - Email

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FARGO, N.D. (Valley News Live) - New guidelines for doctors after the CDC reports too many people have become addicted to painkillers.
It's a problem we have seen in our area, and nationally. Opioid over prescribing is a key driver in drug overdose deaths, according to the CDC.
It released voluntary guidelines for primary care doctors, saying go slow, and use less. 40 people overdose on painkillers every day in the United States, and almost 2 million are addicted.
"I would like to say that physicians have had nothing to do with it, but I think we have,” says Sanford's Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Douglas Griffin.
He says the CDC's new recommendations will give more backbone to the fight they have already begun. "This is a difficult position for primary care physicians because people are in pain and they are hurting and you know they have issues these are very tough patients to take care of," says Dr. Griffin.
He says years ago they were encouraged to be liberal with pain medication, which has left patients in a vicious cycle. "They need to have those conversations with their doctor and then look for other alternatives, there are many other medications that can be used," says Dr. Griffin.
Other alternatives, like dry needling. It’s a fairly new practice that's gaining attention. "Basically we are finding an area that seems tight and we are looking for the muscle to twitch a little bit,” says Physical Therapist Drew Zimmerman.
He says people who suffer from chronic pain respond very well to dry needling, saying it could help break a cycle of dependency on medication. "Don't give up, there are lots of different methods out there, there are lots of different practitioners,” says Zimmerman. “Sometimes things get missed just because it doesn't work with one person or one treatment, don't give up."
While the CDC's new guidelines are simply suggestions to doctors, "I think it will make an impact," says Dr. Griffin. He hopes it will create change in this community.