ABSTRACT
A controlled substance is any medication or substance that is “scheduled”, according to abuse liability, by the US Department of Justice. These substances can only be prescribed by specialists who are licensed to practice in the fields of medicine, dentistry, and podiatry. If mild abstinence symptoms occur in a chronic pain patient after stopping the use of an analgesic, tranquilizer, or muscle relaxer, this can be remedied by the use of a short tapering of the drug. The medication or drug actually replaces vital chemical substances and/or neurotransmitters that are normal to the body. Therefore, the medication becomes an integral part of the body’s normal physiology while the medication is being used. Opioids include any of the synthetic or natural medications that are commonly used for the management of pain symptoms.
