Now doctors can determine patients’ severity of pain. Researchers at the Indiana University School of Medicine in Indianapolis have developed a blood test that can determine a patient’s pain severity, which will help change how physicians prescribe addictive drugs.

Findings on the test were published in Molecular Psychiatry. At present the system for pain diagnosis and drug prescribing depends on physician evaluation or self-reporting from patients. But this test allows for precise medication to guide standards, according to the study author Alexander Niculescu, MD, PhD.

Reference: https://www.beckershospitalreview.com/quality/researchers-create-blood-test-to-determine-patients-pain-severity.html

The test identifies molecules or biomarkers that track pain severity. This test leads to the information through which physician can objectively tell how much pain a patient is experiencing. It helps the physicians to arrive at the amount of medicine they need, cutting down on under- or over- prescribing, Dr. Niculescu said.

The molecules identified in the test could lead to matching patients with the drug best suited for them and also predict when they may experience pain.

Dr. Niculescu said that physicians can now deal with these issues like you would deal with cardiological issues, or cancer.

This solution can assist physicians and patients in opioid addiction engagement.