Back and neck pain relief: Opioids comparable to placebo
Share on Pinterest A new study found that opioids may be ineffective in treating some pain conditions. Design by MNT; Photography by CRISTINA PEDRAZZINI/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY/Getty Images & Lock Stock/Getty Images. Researchers compared the efficacy of opioids and a placebo for treating low back pain and neck pain. There were no significant differences in pain score between the placebo and opioids group after 6 weeks of treatment, and a year later the placebo group had slightly lower pain scores. The findings suggest that opioids may be ineffective for treating certain pain conditions. Lower back pain is the single leading cause of disability worldwide. In 2020, 619 million people globally were affected by the condition. By 2050, this figure is expected to increase to 843 million. Neck pain is also a leading contributor to disability worldwide and is estimated to be the fourth leading cause of disability in terms of “years lived with disability.” Clinical guidelines recommend opio...