Consumer Reports for Pain Medications?
September 14, 2007
by: Sylvia Marten
Sure. Savvy consumers often look to the expertise of Consumer Reports before buying a car, a washing machine, or a video camera. But what about for pain medications?
Well, Consumer Reports is also in the medication rating business and has issued another report in their free medication series that covers drugs for Nerve Pain and Fibromyalgia.
What I like about the report is that it’s peer-reviewed by medical experts, combines effectiveness, safety/risk, and pricing information, and is written for consumers. [Note: the information has not been affirmed by Spine-health.com’s medical board and you’ll need to check with your doctor anyway regarding any information in there.]
For someone newly diagnosed with a condition or if your doctor is recommending switching to a new medication, it may be helpful to make a pit stop and review a report like this. Particularly for people with chronic pain conditions who may need to take a pain medication for an extended period of time, the reality of cost has to be part of the equation of managing the condition. Physicians are often more focused on the pain problem and may be less attuned to cost differences when there is a choice of drug.
Additional resources:
- Medications for Back Pain and Neck Pain
- Chronic Pain Health Hub – for a variety of pain relief options (not just pain meds)
- Depression Guide