Greg Burzynski of HCMWC on Treating Addiction with Medication

In 1861, the Civil War began, and with it, it brought many new changes and obstacles.

Shortly before the war started, morphine was synthesized for pain thus exposing a large number of soldiers to opioids. Soldiers took kindly to the drug as it was reported to relieve physical pain, as well as the emotional distress of wartime experiences. After the war, soldiers returned home with “the Army’s disease” or “the soldier’s disease,” an early name for the addiction opioids caused.

By the end of the 1800s, America had experienced its first heroin epidemic, which led to the Harrison Narcotics Act of 1914, which stated that physicians should not treat heroin addiction with morphine. This act made it illegal for doctors to use opioids to treat opioid dependence, and those who wouldn't abide by the rules were sent to prison.

By the 1960’s, doctors began using methadone maintenance to combat addiction. Methadone works by changing how the brain and nervous system respond to pain. It reduces the painful symptoms of withdrawal and blocks the euphoric effects of opiates, as well as semi-synthetic opioids like hydrocodone.

Today, the opioid crisis is at its peak. In 2016, 64,000 Americans lost their lives due to drug overdose-- about two-thirds from opioids. The United States consists of about five percent of the world’s population, and yet an estimated 90% of the world’s prescribed pain medications are used here.

With more than 2 million Americans suffering from an opioid abuse disorder, doctors and hospitals are working around the clock to find ways to reduce this number from climbing. In Illinois, hospitals are fighting addiction through reduced prescribing of opioid painkillers. The prescription rates in Illinois are lower than in many states and are continuing to decline. As leaders in healthcare delivery, Illinois physicians have recognized several steps and areas for improvement in pain treatment and addiction recovery.

While taking precautions not to stigmatize patients who require opioids for legitimate acute and chronic severe pain, balancing a patient’s pain against the addictive potential of these medications requires careful consideration and informed medical judgment.

To make further strides toward ending the opioid crisis, it is critical for lawmakers to enact policies that target the misuse and over-prescription of opioid drugs while preserving responsible pain treatment options.

November 2017 seemed to offer some promise as the FDA approved a new formulation of buprenorphine
(an opioid medication designed to treat opiate addiction) called Sublocade. This option is a longer-acting treatment with each injection lasting one month, ensuring compliance and thereby helping to stabilize patients by reducing cravings, which in turn discourages use.

As to its efficiency, only time will tell. While we are making progress in addressing this crisis, there is still much more to be done.

Dr. Gregory Burzynskiis the owner and CEO at Houston Concierge Medicine & Wellness Center, an independent clinic operating in Houston, Texas that provides top-notch primary care and intuitive integrative medical care. At HCMWC, Greg Burzynski focuses on a well-rounded, patient-centric approach to wellness which serves as the basis for his concierge medicine program; here, the relationship is between the doctor and the patient rather than going through a third party. Through his work with integrative care, Dr. Gregory Burzynski is able to focus on the whole patient, both mind and body, in order to craft the best personalized plan for treatment for each patient.