Page 62 - Occupational Health & Safety, April 2017

HEALTH CARE
A Proposed Solution to the High Cost of Opioid Abuse
Through collaboration, safety professionals and physical therapists can achieve optimal results with both prevention and post-injury management.
BY DEBORAH LECHNER
treatment directly addresses the underlying cause(s) of pain and prevents it from becoming worse or returning in the future. The underlying causes of musculoskeletal pain usually involve stiff joints and tight or weak muscles, or compressed nerves and blood vessels. The primary causes of these injuries are overexertion, repetitive movements, or sustained awkward posture.
You might be wondering about this “alternative treatment”—it is quite simple. It addresses the under- lying cause of the pain or injury with physical therapy instead of prescription medications. The earlier the underlying problem is addressed, the better. Research shows that employees treated within three to four days of injury are significantly less likely to end up in long-term disability than those for whom treatment is delayed for several weeks.
Physical Therapy as an Alternative Treatment
Physical therapy can improve patient outcomes through techniques that specifically address the in- volved tissue, including:
■ Joint mobilization and manipulation stretches the joint capsule (tissue surrounding the joint) and ligaments surrounding the joint, allowing the joint to move more freely.
■ Deep tissue massage, unlike a general massage that one would receive from a massage therapist, spe- cifically targets painful nodules in the muscle.
■ Injury-specific strengthening is directed to- ward muscles that are weak and creating imbalances around the joint.
■ Injury-specific stretching incorporates tech- niques that take advantage of the normal functions of the nervous system.
■ Application of heat and cold is done through a variety of modalities including hot and cold packs and ultrasound.
■ New innovative treatments, such as dry nee- dling (inserting fine wire needles into muscle trigger points) and cold laser, are used to decrease muscle spasm and pain.
Unfortunately, there are many misperceptions that exist about physical therapy, including feelings that it:
■ Costs too much
■ Hurts
■ Can be done independent of a professional
■ Can be bypassed with rest
■ Is worth the pain to avoid
However, visiting a physical therapist early can
save an employee up to 60 percent on medical bills, and most insurance plans cover at least some part of treatment. Chronic conditions can also be improved by physical therapy. Physical therapists are trained to work within an individual’s pain tolerance and
56 Occupational Health & Safety | APRIL 2017
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The use of opioids has grown exponentially in the United States in recent years—in 2012, there were enough opioid painkillers prescribed for every American to have one bottle (almost 260 million), according to the Cen- ters for Disease Control and Prevention. Opioids can be highly addictive due to tolerance that builds up quickly, leading to dependence and, in some cases, overdose—the primary cause of accidental death in the United States, according to the American Society of Addiction Medicine.
The loss of human life is certainly the most sig- nificant consequence of opioid abuse. However, there is also a high financial cost to both injured workers abusing opioids and their employers. A recent study published in the Journal of Occupational and Envi- ronmental Medicine found that health care costs for workers with workers’ compensation and short-term disability claims were substantially higher for those with diagnosed opioid abuse.
Many people do not realize that taking opioids af- ter an injury does nothing to address the underlying problem. Think of an opioid as a band-aid solution: It covers up the issue by blocking the feeling of pain, while the primary problem or cause of pain persists.
The good news is that there is an extremely ef- fective alternative treatment for musculoskeletal in- juries that does not involve opioids. This alternative
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