War on Opioids, Part I

War on Opioids, Part I

The war on opioids began around 2010 when the Centers for Disease Control announced there were over 16,000 opioid-related deaths. That’s a big number – but not all of those deaths involved opioids alone. Our first guest, Angelika, suffers from a painful joint hypermobility condition called “Ehlers Danlos Syndrome.” Despite having a traumatic biking accident, she refused to go to the emergency room, fearing that she’d be labelled an addict, that her opioids would be taken away, and her pain would be left out of control. Author and journalist, Maia Szalavitz, then joins us. She’s written about the war on drugs and how it’s hurting patients who need them the most.

Pain on the Battlefield

Pain on the Battlefield

Pain is the #1 complaint of soldiers fighting for our country. Derek McGinnis, a young military veteran and recipient of the Purple Heart will trace the events that led to his leg amputation, and how a simple nerve block became a lifesaver. Dr. Trip Buckenmaier...

Low Back Pain

Low Back Pain

Between 70-80% of the world’s population will experience low back pain (LBP) at some time in their lives. Nikki Stone, 1998 Olympic Gold Medalist severely damaged two discs in her lower back from repeated high-altitude jumps. Listen in as she shares her story of...

Pain and Addiction

Pain and Addiction

Opioids can be invaluable for treating pain, but prescription painkillers can lead to abuse and addiction.  In fact, up to 7% of patients prescribed opioids to treat chronic pain may develop the disease of addiction. Christopher Kennedy Lawford, author of two, New...