Chronic Back Pain
Evaluating patients who present with back pain involves physical examination to assess if the reaction of a patient. For example, palpitations can help identify an issue with the back. Nurses should also carry out an examination using imaging technologies (Foster et al., 2018). For example, an MRI, CT scan, and X-ray are essential in diagnosing back pain causes and severity. Examining the history of a patient and the activities they engage is effective in examining back pain.
The red flags for drug abuse involve taking a large number of painkillers to alleviate the pain. Some patients may take drugs even when they are not experiencing pain. If the tolerance levels are high, there is a possibility they are abusing drugs (Coulter et al., 2018).
Prescribing narcotics for back pain is a controversial issue. Nurses should apply the principle of nonmaleficence and beneficence to make decisions. The purpose is to decide on the best interest of a patient (Sahrmann et al., 2017). They should also use their professional knowledge to protect patients from harm. Providers should also observe accountability by ensuring patients’ lives are in their hands (Mesghina, 2017). Therefore, nurses should examine the severity of back pain before administering any drug, including narcotics.
I would prescribe medication depending on the severity of the back pain. For example, I would prescribe ibuprofen and review the patient’s progress after three days to one week. Naproxen sodium (Aleve) is also another alternative for chronic pain (Mesghina, 2017). The purpose is to prescribe medication that will relieve the pain. I would also caution the patient from avoiding strenuous exercise or work until full recovery. The patient should report back for assessment and determine whether they should continue with the medication or take a different one.
References
Coulter, I. D., Crawford, C., Hurwitz, E. L., Vernon, H., Khorsan, R., Booth, M. S., & Herman, P. M. (2018). Manipulation and mobilization for treating chronic low back pain: a systematic review and meta-analysis. The Spine Journal, 18(5), 866-879.
Foster, N. E., Anema, J. R., Cherkin, D., Chou, R., Cohen, S. P., Gross, D. P., … & Turner, J. A. (2018). Prevention and treatment of low back pain: evidence, challenges, and promising directions. The Lancet, 391(10137), 2368-2383.
Mesghina, S. (2019). The Efficacy of Co-integrated Medicine Compared to Long-Term Narcotics Management for Lower Back Pain. Lynchburg Journal of Medical Science, 2(2), 17.
Sahrmann, S., Azevedo, D. C., & Van Dillen, L. (2017). Diagnosis and treatment of movement system impairment syndromes. Brazilian Journal of Physical Therapy, 21(6), 391-399.
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