Health · Pharma & Biotech · 1 day ago
Daily painkiller use can hide the cause of ongoing pain
Painkillers such as paracetamol and dipyrone can ease pain, but taking them repeatedly may mask the cause and delay proper treatment.
A pain specialist says regular use to get through daily life is a reason to investigate why the pain continues.
Concern is greater with opioids such as morphine.
A study of 4.3 million people treated with opioids for chronic non-cancer pain found that 9.3% developed dependence or a medication-use disorder, while nearly 30% showed signs or symptoms of these problems.
The risks can relate to the medicine, dose and duration of use, as well as personal and pain-related factors.
People should not stop medicines on their own; a clinician can assess the cause of pain and, when appropriate, plan a gradual reduction alongside other ways to manage symptoms.
Chronic pain treatment may also involve physiotherapists, psychologists and physical-education professionals, with care tailored to the person’s needs.
Frequent painkiller use may mask the cause of ongoing pain and delay appropriate treatment.
Pain specialist Lúcio Gusmão says repeated reliance on medication to maintain daily routines should prompt an investigation into the continuing pain.
A study of 4.3 million people treated with opioids for chronic non-cancer pain found 9.3% developed dependence or a medication-use disorder.
Nearly 30% of the patients in the study showed signs and symptoms of those conditions.
Gusmão says chronic pain treatment should be personalized and may involve medical, physical and mental health professionals.
- Who
- People who use painkillers frequently, including patients with chronic pain. Pain specialist Lúcio Gusmão discusses the risks.
- What
- The article warns that regular painkiller use can hide the cause of ongoing pain and delay treatment.
- When
- Published on October 11, 2026.
- Where
- Not stated.
- Why
- Repeated medication use may relieve symptoms without addressing their cause; opioid use can also carry a risk of dependence or medication-use disorder.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
This story does not have a timeline yet.
- Study size
- 4.3 million people with chronic non-cancer pain treated with opioids
- Dependence or medication-use disorder
- 9.3% of patients in the study
- Signs and symptoms
- Nearly 30% of patients in the study
- Study journal
- Addiction
- Article publication
- October 11, 2026
What people are saying
The painkiller is important in certain situations, but it should not be the answer to every discomfort.
In this situation, we begin the tapering protocol. First we need to understand what causes that pain and, depending on the medication and the length of use, make a more or less gradual withdrawal.
Sources
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