Opioid Exposure and Associated Numeric Pain Scores in Adults with Chronic Musculoskeletal Pain

The opioid epidemic claims tens of thousands of lives annually in the United States (US) where opioids are prescribed more per capita than in any other country. Primary care providers contribute to nearly half of these prescriptions, often for chronic non-cancer pain conditions such as back, hip, and knee pain. Despite widespread use, evidence suggests that opioids do not improve pain control for chronic non-cancer musculoskeletal pain. This study aimed to assess whether an opioid prescription in the three months preceding internal medicine primary care appointments was associated with lower pain levels, as reported on a 1 to 10 scale during medical assistant check-ins, among patients with chronic non-cancer musculoskeletal pain. Using a cross-sectional design, we analyzed pain scores for adult patients who had been prescribed opioids versus those who had not. Our findings revealed no statistically significant difference in pain levels between the two groups, with both opioid and non-opioid users reporting similar median pain scores. These results align with existing evidence, reinforcing the notion that opioids offer no substantial advantage in pain management for chronic musculoskeletal pain.