Addictive drugs replaced by simple remedies to treat severe back pain

Doctors and nurses are reducing the use of dangerously addictive opioids to treat patients with severe back pain.

Instead, a cheap heat pack, some training and simple pain relief are said to be equally effective options.

Professor Chris Maher, world-leading back pain specialist from the University of Sydney, told 3AW Breakfast hospitals can use much safer methods to treat pain.

“For some people you still need to use opioids,” he said.

“But we have found a lot of people can get by with the simpler and safer approaches.

“Doctors, nurses and physios can try these other approaches first and reserve opioid pain killers for people who actually need them.”

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