A recent study showed that the number of prescription drug overdoses in England has been on the rise in the last five years while the number of heroin and cocaine overdoses has steadily declined. This indicates that there is a problem with the amount of prescription medications that are provided to patients in England. Doctors are quick to prescribe narcotic pain medications to patients. Often doctors may write these prescriptions while there are safer alternatives available.
Safer Solution For Pain Relief
Many doctors prescribe narcotic pain relievers with the belief that they will relieve the pain and allow the patient to heal. While in many cases this is true, some patients become dependent on the medication. The injury may heal but the body sends pain signals when the medication is not present. While patients continue to complain of pain doctors continue to prescribe medications increasing the dose and frequency to try to relieve the pain.
A compound prescription works to relieve the symptoms of pain without the harmful and addictive side effects. These medications are usually applied topically or injected into the affected area, reducing the risk of addiction and eliminating the use internal organs to process the medication.
Pain Relief Compound Prescription Medications For Long-Term Use
Many patients suffer from chronic pain. Doctors will often prescribe these patients pain medication that can be used over the course of years. As the patient builds up a tolerance to the medication, the dose will need to be increased. High doses of pain medication can cause damage to the liver as well as other vital organs. Pain relief compound medications are not absorbed in the same way as oral medication preventing a tolerance from forming. Doctors in England would benefit from prescribing these types of medications to help their patients control pain without the risk of addiction.
While medication helps with many ailments and injuries, the risk of addiction is increased with extended use of medications. England’s rise in prescription drug overdose is just a small example of a widespread issue of over-prescribing medications for conditions that can be treated with compound prescriptions in a safer and more effective way.
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Chief Operating Officer, The Compounding Pharmacy of America
Matthew Poteet, Pharm.D. graduated with Honors from Lee University with a Bachelors of Science in Biological Science. After his undergraduate training, he completed the Doctor of Pharmacy program at Mercer University Southern School of Pharmacy, graduating in 2004. Dr. Poteet has spent much of his pharmacy career on staff at two of the most prestigious academic teaching hospitals in the Southeast; Emory University in Atlanta and Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville. At these institutions he received extensive experience and training in sterile products compounding.
He returned home to East Tennessee in 2010, where he has held the position of Pharmacy Director at two sterile products pharmacies in Knoxville. Matthew lives in Knoxville with his wife, Chris. Dr. Poteet is Tennessee’s first Board Certified Anti-Aging Pharmacist by the American Academy of Anti-Aging Medicine.
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