Dr Gerald M Sacks Considers the Potential Adverse Effects of Opioids and Discusses With Every Patient About Their Bowel Function

Dr Gerald M Sacks, Director of Pain Management at the Pain Institute of Santa Monica in California, sheds some light on the additional treatment options for OIC management. He shares that it is important for the patients on the outpatient side to do physical activity in the ICU setting as best as they can. The appropriate balanced nutrition with appropriate vegetables, fruit, and dietary fiber helps prevent OIC and other types of constipation.

Being a pain management practitioner, Dr Sacks feels that it is his obligation to discuss and treat any adverse effects that may be caused by medications being prescribed. He considers the potential adverse effects of those medications and discusses with every patient who is on opioids about their bowel function. He discusses about how often they are going to the bathroom and whether they feel it is very uncomfortable. He works to help patients return to their baseline level of bowel function by utilizing medications and lifestyle enhancements so that they are able to maintain their baseline level of bowel function to maintain their level of activity.

Dr Gerald M Sacks has seen an uptake in recommendations from primary care practitioners for the patients to utilize lifestyle changes which include good hydration, good levels of physical activity, eating fruits and vegetables, and making sure that the patients are utilizing the over-the-counter medications when needed.