There is no clear evidence for the benefits of long-term opioid medication on pain, function or quality of life. There is a clear correlation with a range of adverse effects including falls, fractures, testosterone suppression, hyperalgesia and depression. It increases the risk of dependence, addiction and overdose. Long-term use either before or following spine surgery is associated with increased medical costs and a reduced rate of return to work.
Sources:
Anderson JT, et al. Chronic Opioid Therapy After Lumbar Fusion Surgery for Degenerative Disc Disease in a Workers’ Compensation Setting. Spine (Phila Pa 1976). 2015 Nov;40(22):1775-84. PMID: 26192725.
Chou R, et al. The effectiveness and risks of long-term opioid therapy for chronic pain: a systematic review for a National Institutes of Health Pathways to Prevention Workshop. Ann Intern Med. 2015 Feb 17;162(4):276-86. PMID: 25581257.
O’Donnell JA, et al. Preoperative Opioid Use is a Predictor of Poor Return to Work in Workers’ Compensation Patients after Lumbar Diskectomy. Spine (Phila Pa 1976). 2017 Aug 23. PMID: 28837531.