Charity warns of painkiller overuse

ALMOST two in five users of painkillers need medication just so they can go to work, a healthcare charity has said.

Nuffield Health warned that long-term use of potentially addictive drugs is “commonplace” after it found that 37% of people who use medication to treat pain say they require drugs to be able to work. And a third of painkiller-users are worried about dependency, the charity said.

Half of the 3100 people surveyed said they managed pain or injury with painkillers in the past year and, of these, one-quarter said they take between five and 10 painkillers every day.

One in three people said they were taking strong medication, including codeine and tramadol, to manage their pain. A total of 7% were using even stronger opiates, including morphine and pethidine.

Experts at the charity said painkillers are often seen as an easy or costeffective treatment option instead of treating underlying medical problems.

Manoj Krishna, consultant spinal surgeon at Nuffield Health Tees Hospital, said: “A lack of knowledge, or fear of treatment, can lead patients into long-term use of painkillers, often without a clear diagnosis.

“This can be a very bleak existence, with patients becoming depressed, losing their jobs and often becoming dependent on the drugs. In the 21st century, in a country with a world-class health service, patients in pain deserve a better deal.”