Travis Rieder's Journey: Pain, Opioids, and a Call for Change
One of the things they want to know is the intensity. So I'm conveying to you that it's extreme. This is part of a kind of long historical narrative about pain and pain treatment, but the reason we have it, the fact that we use the pain scale, is evidence that the healthcare system kind of made a concerted effort, made a decision at a point to say: we're going to treat pain as something serious.
What happens when a bioethicist finds himself in the throes of a personal opioid crisis? In this compelling episode of 'New Books in Drugs, Addiction and Recovery', Travis Rieder opens up about his harrowing experience following a motorcycle accident that left him with a shattered foot. Rieder's ordeal led to a series of surgeries and an unexpected deep dive into the world of opioid use and pain management in America.
His book, 'In Pain: A Bioethicist’s Personal Struggle with Opioids', serves as both a memoir and a critical examination of the opioid epidemic. Rieder shares his insights on the history of opioid use, the subjective nature of pain, and the urgent need for alternative treatments. He also discusses the birth of palliative care, the significance of compassionate care, and the crucial role healthcare providers play in tackling opioid addiction.
This episode is an eye-opener for anyone grappling with or interested in the complexities of pain management and opioid use.