The president of the Essex County Medical Society agrees with the direction taken to recommend alternatives to opioids in pain management.
A ten-page guideline has been published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal encouraging physicians to avoid using the powerful narcotics as a first line of treatment.
Dr. Amit Bagga says there's a wide range of options for both drug and non-drug pain treatments that's available.
"One has to be careful and say how can we deal with the pain without a medication? Are there non-medication ways, physiotherapy or exercise dealing with a primary cause with perhaps a procedure or a one-time injection. There's quite a spectrum," says Bagga.
He says the guidelines don't mean doctors should never use opioids.
"First of all it's a very big issue. We have to start by acknowledging that and then the pain management spectrum is challenging. I think some of the points being mentioned such as it's effective, that's a huge reason. It works quickly, it works well. We all live in a society where we want to be fixed yesterday. It's very effective, but it just comes at a price," says Bagga.
He says having so many choices is a benefit and a challenge for doctors.
"There's quite a spectrum and I suppose that's a double-edged sword. On one hand it's nice to say look how many options we have, let's see what we can do to help you get through this pain. Then on the other hand, it perhaps causes some confusion as well, but hopefully it helps customize and personalize a pain prescription for each person as well," says Bagga.
He agrees there are issues with opioids when it comes to addiction and to crime that's associated with the drugs.
Bagga says medical marijuana is another alternative that is growing in acceptance.
The guidelines are for non-cancer patients who have experienced chronic pain for three months or more from causes like back problems, fibromyalgia or arthritis.