Description: Same dragon, different day.
This is a sponsored post. Salix Pharmaceuticals provided me with a stipend and paid for my travel and accommodations related to the event described below. All opinions are my own.
“Painstipation,” or constipation caused by opioid pain medication in chronic pain patients, is an uncomfortable subject to consider, but it’s a really important topic to discuss, especially with your doctor. Those of us with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) (or other chronic pain conditions) sometimes take opioid medications to relieve RA’s painful, debilitating joint pain. But as beneficial as they may be, opioids may also cause opioid induced constipation (OIC).
Opioid pain relievers bind to opioid receptors, which in turn decrease pain transmission. Which is, of course, wonderful. Taken with care and as prescribed, opioids can help us maintain our quality of life.