Ottawa Citizen Published Apr 08, 2023
By Andrew Duffy
An Ottawa pilot project has significantly reduced opioid use among patients with chronic pain by treating it with the kind of comprehensive program used to treat other chronic diseases.
As part of the pilot project introduced at the Bruyère Academic Family Health Team, a staff nurse met with patients to discuss how lifestyle changes — improvements to exercise, diet, drinking, smoking and sleep habits — could help them manage their own pain and reduce their reliance on opioids.
Personal histories were reviewed, including traumatic childhood events, and those with unresolved issues were referred to social workers or psychologists.
Patients were also encouraged to plan specific, measurable steps before their next visits with the nurse.
Results of the two-year pilot study, recently published in the Canadian Family Physician journal, showed that 21.6 per cent of patients reported a reduction in their pain levels. Nearly half (46.9 per cent) said their pain interfered less with daily activities.
By the end of the study, 42.9 per cent of patients who used opioids had reduced their dosages. One participant completely eliminated opioid use.
“We basically found that their opioid ingestion went down, their pain scores went down, and the pain was interfering less in their lives than before,” said Dr. Hillel Finestone, the study’s lead investigator.
Finestone, a specialist in physical medicine and rehabilitation at Bruyère, said the study held important implications for the estimated 7.6 million Canadians living with chronic pain and the family physicians most often tasked with treating them.
“Chronic pain interferes with so many facets of daily living. It can often lead to depression, anxiety and addiction,” Finestone said.