Why Use Antidepressants to Treat Pain?

March 23, 2020

Why use antidepressants to treat pain? The nation’s focus on the ongoing opioid epidemic and stricter guidelines on opioid prescribing has led to an increased utilization of non-opioid pain treatments in workers’ compensation. In a previous blog post, we looked at the use of anticonvulsants to treat pain because of their ability to create effective pain relief without the cravings, tolerance, or addiction issues that are typically associated with narcotics. Another therapeutic class commonly used to treat chronic pain is antidepressants, which may even be prescribed when depression is not a diagnosed condition for the injured worker.

Topical Medications in Workers' Compensation and Auto Casualty

March 18, 2020

This article is part of our ongoing Quarterly Drug Update series. View our last article on gabapentinoids. Topical medications are an important part of care in the workers’ compensation and auto casualty industries, providing relief for patients in pain. In the past few years, the variety of available topical medications has increased, which has also driven up the number of prescriptions, particularly for new analgesic and local anesthetic drugs. While this variety allows for greater choice, many of the new branded medications are very expensive.

Return to Work Program Benefits & Strategies

February 25, 2020

Developing successful return to work (RTW) plans is instrumental to efficient and effective workers’ compensation claims management. Such initiatives integrate individual considerations for all injured employees that go beyond simply treating the initial injury, including comorbidities, psychosocial issues, light-duty options and pain management protocols.

The Future of Pain Therapy in Workers’ Compensation

January 28, 2020

As we move into a new decade, we continue to look for solutions to address the opioid crisis and discover alternative ways to treat pain. From a drug-therapy perspective, current alternatives to opioids include NSAIDs, anticonvulsants and occasionally certain antidepressants. Non-drug therapies include physical therapy, home exercise programs and electrical therapy treatments.

What's the difference between a drug allergy and a side effect?

January 27, 2020

Drug allergies and side effects present differences that are often misunderstood. They are commonly discussed  in overlapping terms that can understate the importance in how each should be managed (Eg. “I think I’m allergic to Aspirin, it upsets my stomach”).

Disaster Recovery and Work Comp

In just the past few years, natural disasters have generated startling headlines and produced enormous challenges for many, including for workers’ compensation systems.