Opioid pain relievers may not alleviate back and neck pain and could cause harm, according to a new study published in the Lancet in June. Researchers at the University of Sydney in Australia treated 310 study participants with either the opioid oxycodone or a placebo. After six weeks, the placebo group had lower average pain scores than the opioid group. At the six and 12-month marks, more people in the opioid group reported ongoing pain. The study's authors concluded that opioids should not be the first choice for acute neck or back pain.
Rick Good spent ten years in the newspaper business, including with The News & Observer (Raleigh, NC) and The Greenville News (Greenville, SC). He co-wrote, with Melinda Coleman, Rutledge to Riley: Governors of South Carolina, 1776–Present (Published by The Greenville News), and is the author of Mind Games Trivia #1 (Amazon). He has recently spent 15 years creating original trivia content through Sounds Good Mobile Entertainment and continues that with his new company, SGME Software. He edits The Smart Reader’s money, real estate, and business coverage.