• Our clinic WILL NOT prescribe drugs of dependence to new patients or at the first appointment.

• Our doctors will only prescribe drugs of dependence to patients only if clinically necessary and after a thorough assessment, and not solely at the request of patients.

• This is because many drugs of dependence, including strong pain killers or sleeping tablets (sedatives) have harmful side effects and long term use can cause tolerance and dependence.

• Certain strong painkillers can cause HYPERALGESIA with long term use, meaning they cause pain receptors to be more sensitive and result in more pain to stimuli that might otherwise cause less or no pain.

• When tolerance and dependence develops, it is difficult to stop taking these medications due to resulting withdrawals.

• Certain strong painkillers and sleeping tablets can also cause respiratory depression and potentially death if taken in excessive amounts.

• Furthermore:

• The Oxford Analgesic Table shows that strong anti-inflammatories such as Ibuprofen or Diclofenac are more effective for moderate to severe acute pain than stronger pain killers

• The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners strongly recommends against the use of strong painkillers in common conditions such as osteoarthritis of the hips, knees, and chronic lower back pain

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