Addicts will continue to seek out the drugs despite bad effects on their ability to function in the community, to hold a job, to care for their families and to maintain social relationships. Their ability to work, care for families and live productive lives is improved by their medications. A recent study demonstrates that fewer than one percent of pain patients receiving opioids become narcotics abusers. No patient in pain should reject opioids out of fear of becoming addicted. Even former and current substance abusers can be treated for severe pain by doctors with experience in the field.
Tolerance begins with even one dose.
This physical fact is not linked to harmful effects. It means only that, over time, pain patients can be expected to need higher doses of the medication to obtain the same relief. For this reason it is often said that there is no theoretical upper limit to the amount of opioids than can appropriately be prescribed to control pain. Careful physicians will monitor dosage closely and increase it when necessary as tolerance builds to maintain a good effect on pain control. Moreover, some medications mix opioids and other pain relievers such as aspirin, acetaminophen and other non- steroidal compounds.