More Americans Mixing Opioids With Sedatives

THURSDAY, Jan. 17, 2019 -- As if the opioid crisis wasn't already bad enough, new research shows a sharp rise in the number of Americans taking dangerous combinations of opioids and sedatives.

These sedatives, known as benzodiazepines, are prescribed for pain, insomnia and anxiety. And another class of similar medications, called Z-drugs, are also being taken with sedatives at alarming rates, the researchers found.

Can Herbal Drug Kratom Kill?

WEDNESDAY, Jan. 2, 2019 -- The herbal drug kratom, which U.S. drug regulators have said is essentially an opioid, has been linked to some narcotic overdose deaths, but whether it's dangerous by itself isn't clear.

In a new study, University of Colorado researchers reviewed 15 kratom-related deaths and found that in all but one, other opioids were present.

Physical Therapy Can Help You Avoid Opioids When Joint Pain Strikes

FRIDAY, Dec. 14, 2018 -- People who get prompt physical therapy for pain in the knee, shoulder or lower back may have less need for opioid painkillers, new research suggests.

The study, of nearly 89,000 U.S. patients, found that people given physical therapy for their pain were 7 percent to 16 percent less likely to fill a prescription for an opioid.