Researchers updated a 2007 Cochrane Review to assess the efficacy of opioids in adults with chronic low back pain. They also analyzed randomized, controlled trials assessing the use of noninjectable opioids for at least four weeks. Comparisons of different opioids were excluded.
The study found that in the short-term, opioids — including strong opioids, such as morphine and hydromorphone — were effective in providing pain relief, but there was no evidence that long-term use of opioids is also safe and effective for patients suffering from chronic low back pain.
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