Bruce Soloway, MD reviewed a study comparing opiate medications versus NSAIDs (e.g., Motrin) or acetaminophen (e.g., Tylenol) for treating pain following minor surgery (e.g., dental or skin) and moderate surgery (e.g., minimally invasive orthopedic surgery). There was no difference in pain relief, but opiates caused more side-effects.
Narcotic side-effects included vomiting in 11%, nausea, constipation, dizziness, and drowsiness.
The bottom line is that opiates are no better than over-the-counter non-opiate medications for pain relief following minor and moderate surgery and have more side-effects.
The original study that Dr. Soloway summarized in the New England Journal of Medicine Journal Watch was based on an article by Fiore and colleagues in The Lancet June 18, 2022.
