Episode 53: How should doctors treat pain in the wake of the opioid crisis?

Clinicians walk a tightrope when trying to help their patients with chronic pain. They want to be able to ease a patient's suffering with medication, but must be mindful of the risks of addiction. There are some non-medication treatments for pain, but they're often hard to access or not covered by insurance.  Finding the balance can be challenging and emotionally taxing. And in the wake of the opioid crisis, many clinicians tend to err on the side of caution and under-treat pain. This week, two physicians discuss how to treat chronic pain adequately and ethically.