Hi Noshaba, Thank you for your presentation. You have a very profound question as to the role of physical therapists in opioid addiction. It reminded me of the very inspiring words of the APTA president, Dr. Sharon Dunn (American Physical Therapy Association [APTA], 2015). I would like to quote what she said: “Physical therapists can help individuals manage pain, and greater use of physical therapy could make a real impact on the tragic levels of drug abuse in this country- abuse that often begins with a prescription for pain medication. Efforts like these are at the heart of what we mean when we talk about the transformative power of physical therapy.” The transformative power means that we have to be able to effect changes to our patients. It is such a noble calling for each physical therapist. The magnanimous role of the PT in the fight against epidemic abuse of drugs was made public by no less than President Barack Obama (APTA, 2015). The United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have strongly recommended the use of PT, non-drug, non-opioid as the first-line of treatment for chronic pain. The public tends to think that physical therapy deals more on the physical aspect of health. As we have learned in Health and Wellness, there is more than to the physical aspect of health. Wellness do not only include …show more content…
First, we are clinicians to which these patients seek for our expertise to address their health problems. Secondly, we are diagnosticians whereby we seek the underlying causes of our patient’s health issues. Third, we are educators to which we help our patients cope and understand their health conditions. And lastly, we aspire to be the catalyst for a positive change in our patient’s concept of wellness and health. And truly, when we achieve our roles as catalysts for change for our patients we exude the transformative power of physical
Although this epidemic has been surging for the past 30 years, there has yet to have been an effective solution to drastically reduce the number of deaths and recurring addictions. The U.S. government has implemented different solutions, but the use of opioids still prevails. Even though drug use is criminalized in most places in the U.S., people are still continuing to use and abuse drugs. While many different approaches are hypothesized to stop the use of drugs, new forms of opioid use and problems seem to arise. There exists stigmas, stereotypes, and false information that have spread about drug use and addiction which hinders people's abilities to be able to understand and offer help to addicts and drug users.
When you think of drug overdose, what do you think about? You probably said Cocaine or Heroin, but what if I told you that there was another drug killing hundreds of thousands of people every year and was somehow going unnoticed. I implore you to read on if you haven’t heard of the shadow epidemic that’s taking American lives everyday. That epidemic is Xanax. Xanax is a very commonly prescribed anti-anxiety drug which became popular in the early 2000s and only continues to rise in popularity as it becomes more of a mainstream recreational drug.
In the past, opioids have been used to treat moderate to severe pain such as cancer or post surgery, and on a short term basis. Now they are prescribed to anyone who is experiencing chronic pain and on a long term basis. Opioids being taken for chronic pain allows everyone to have the ability to carry out their daily life easily and without pain. In light of opioids helping people manage their pain, the problem lies with what they are being prescribed for now, how long, and how much. Opioids are now being prescribed for back pain, migraines, and other small instances.
Underlying Causes: The increase in the sale of opioids is considered to be the root of the opioid crisis, as the drugs have been proven to be highly addictive. An addiction to prescriptive opioids, however, can lead to an addiction to synthetic, illegal opioids, such as heroine or fentanyl, which are less expensive and easier to acquire. In fact, in their journal article, “Associations of nonmedical pain reliever use and initiation of heroin use in the United States” Pradip Muhuri and associates discovered that “the recent (12 months preceding interview) heroin incidence rate was 19 times higher among those who reported prior nonmedical prescription pain reliever (NMPR) use than among those who did not (0.39 vs. 0.02 percent)” (Muhuri et. al). In other words, abusing prescription opioids significantly raises the chances of abusing illicit drugs, such as heroin.
The opioid crisis in the United States has been a problem since the late 1970’s. The use of cocaine started increasing by the early 80’s. In this time, many considered cocaine to be the drug for the famous. At one point, it was called “the champagne of drugs,” which made people feel like they were living like the rich and the high-line people. All celebrities and famous athletes would take cocaine, therefore, all their fans followed in their footsteps.
However, hospitals have changed the approach to pain management but still haven 't made a change. More hospitals still provide opioids to patients with the dependence on the drug. Overall, the opioid addiction represents a serious issue in American society. The best solution in decreasing the number of overdoses is the low dosages of opioids provided by hospitals and doctors.
Some patients prefer not to take pain medication because they fear addiction or may have a history of substance abuse. Educating the patients on their right to be free of pain and having their pain managed aggressively is a priority in the recovery phase. The goals that I hope to achieve during this clinical practicum
When looking at a scholarly journal or other form of report pertaining to controlled substances, the theme is usually pretty clear; “drugs are bad, people that do drugs are bad, and it’s only getting worse.” Moore challenges this theme by breaking the mold in his article, “The Other Opioid Crisis” by implementing several rhetorical devices to add a more human aspect to the not so black-and-white issue. “The Other Opioid Crisis” is an article that goes into the ethics and the arguments regarding those who are in need of opioids and their stories, alongside other ethical issues they may face. By providing stories of patients, Moore states his opinion which is backed strongly by the pains, both mentally and physically, that opioid prescribed patients face. In these stories he not only provides a detailed account of their struggles, he uses strong language to appeal to the pathos of the reader on a subject that may not be easy for many to sympathize with.
What stimulant drug, speeds up the messages travelling between the brain and the rest of the body? Did you guess cocaine? If so, yes you are right. (http://www.druginfo.adf.org.au/drug-facts/cocaine) According to “The National Institution of Drug abuse” Cocaine is a very addicted drug and it is made from the leaves of the coca plant native to South America.
What is Vicodin? Vicodin is a drug that is commonly prescribed for pain management after some kind of trauma. Vicodin is a depressant for the central nervous system- it decreases heart and respiratory rates. Vicodin Abuse is very common because of the addictive properties of this drug. Vicodin is made up of an opiate + acetaminophen and people that abuse this drug like it because of its painkilling properties.
Healthcare. We all need it, but we don't all have it, and because of that simple fact, we are one of the sickest countries in the industrial world. Our life expectancy for the first time ever is going down, not up. We have the highest maternal mortality rates in the industrial world. And the worst outcomes per cost anywhere.
Jessada 5880476 Theme: Laws and Society. Topic: Marijuana legality. General Purpose: To inform my audience. Specific Purpose: To persuade my audience about why marijuana should become legal.
It’s no secret that THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) gets you high. But, how much more do you actually know about THC? The science behind marijuana really exploded in the mid 1960s when THC was identified as marijuana’s main ingredient. Yet, we’ve still been kept pretty much in the dark when it comes to the basic facts about THC.
By 2026 physical therapy jobs are said to be increased by 25% (“10 Interesting Physical Therapy Facts & Statistics,” 28 Dec. 2017). Physical therapists are doctors that help people who have pain during movement or have lost some range of motion. They help those patients regain their abilities or manage their pain (Bellamy). This is a great career to go into. There are many aspects that go into being a physical therapist like degrees, advancement opportunities, day to day responsibilities, and much more.
As a professional, one must adhere to the guiding principles defined by the professional association. Scope of Practice outlines the “notions of professional conduct, accountability and self- governance and expanded practice”. Scope of Practice summarizes “the range of roles and activities an individual registrant or licensee is permitted to undertake in the course of professional practice. These roles and activities are largely determined by professional education and practice competence along with factors in the practice context, such as demands on practitioners’ services and available resources” (Fealy 2005). Scope of Practice is based upon the “profession 's unique body of knowledge, supported by educational preparation, a body of evidence, and existing or emerging practice frameworks” (American Physical Therapy Association, 2015).