A novel treatment for chronic opioid use after surgery

In a recent article from the Center for Disease Control, the authors addressed the current opioid epidemic in America and emphasized the importance of utilizing non-opioid analgesic alternatives to opioid medication for treating chronic pain. In cases where non-opioid analgesic drugs alone have failed to produce adequate pain relief, these authors suggested that non-pharmacologic therapies should also be considered. This Case Series describes a pilot study designed to evaluate a novel non-pharmacologic approach to treating long-standing (>1year) opioid dependency. The therapy involved the use of a high intensity cold laser device to treat three patients who had become addicted to prescription opioid-containing analgesic medication for treating chronic (residual) pain after a major operation. After receiving a series of 8-12 treatment sessions lasting 20-40min to the painful surgical area over a 3-4week period of time with the high intensity (42W) Phoenix Thera-lase laser device, an FDA-approved Class IV cold laser, these patients were able to discontinue their use of all oral opioid-containing analgesic medications and resume their normal activities of daily living. At a follow-up evaluation 1-2months after their last laser treatment, these patients reported that they have been able to control their pain with over-the-counter non-opioid analgesics and they have remained largely opioid-free. Further larger-scale studies are needed to verify these preliminary findings with this powerful cold laser in treating opioid-dependent patients.