Many forms of chronic pain do not respond well to opioids. For lower back pain the Nice recommendation is not to treat it at all, except perhaps with ibuprofen, exercise and massage. Figures suggest that only one opioid prescription in eight was written out for cancer pain in 2014. In the US there is a strong correlation between the number of doctors in an area and the number of opioid prescriptions written. The fact that prolonged pain does not respond well to opioids does not mean it should go untreated.

Source: The Guardian February 28, 2019 18:33 UTC