Opioids offer minor pain relief but do not benefit quality of life says large review

Opioid painkillers do not seem to improve quality of life or levels of depression in people with osteoarthritis according to new research. And they have only small benefits on pain and function after two to 12 weeks of treatment. Some strong opioids even had worse pain relief benefits and a greater risk of any safety-related outcome than weak opioids in this meta-analysis. There are many safety concerns around opioids, which are often prescribed for chronic pain so the new review of the evidence (involving data from over 11,400 people) adds fuel to the fire.

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