The problem of chronic nonmalignant pain is an unfortunately common occurrence in a significant number of patients in the U.S. In fact, the issue of chronic nonmalignant pain and the associated need for pain management has contributed vastly to the ongoing opioid crisis in the U.S., as the available evidence proves (Denis et al., 2019). Therefore, due to the common occurrence of the issue, finding evidence related to the specified area was comparatively easy.
Furthermore, the evidence offered to study the subject matter fascinates with its variety. There is a plethora of qualitative, quantitative, and mixed-method studies addressing the problem of chronic nonmalignant pain in adults and the associated opioid and nonopioid treatment options (Denis et al., 2019). Therefore, finding any evidence-based research was exceptionally easy. However, identifying guidelines on the issue of opioid-based treatment for nonmalignant pain was unexpectedly challenging. The existing standards were surprisingly few and rather outdated, the latest one having been published in 2005. Therefore, identifying clinical guidelines represented the greatest challenge.
The overall quality of the evidence is sufficient to use it as a profound basis for further research. However, the lack of sources addressing the use of nonopioid options for treating chronic nonmalignant pain was a notably concerning issue that impeded the research process to an extent. In fact, most studies located in scholarly databases promoted the use of opioids as the main means of pain management. The specified gap could be addressed by conducting a study evaluating the effects of nonopioid treatment, particularly the integration of therapy, meditation, and similar strategies for managing chronic pain.
Overall, based on the performed literature review, the existing sources support a practice change. Specifically, the fact that nonopioid treatment options are extremely scarce proves that their number and variety must be increased. Therefore, further studies addressing the efficacy and use of nonopioid pain management approaches in patients with nonmalignant chronic pain must be conducted.
Reference
Denis, C. M., Morales, K. H., Wu, Q., Metzger, D. S., & Cheatle, M. D. (2019). Association between diagnoses of chronic noncancer pain, substance use disorder, and HIV-related outcomes in people living with HIV. Journal of acquired immune deficiency syndromes (1999), 82(2), S142-S147. Web.