Understanding Addiction: The Orthopedic Surgical Perspective to a Significant Problem

The realm of addiction and addiction medicine is one in which physicians receive little formal training, particularly in surgical subspecialties. This article presents an overview of addiction medicine and treatment, concentrating on the neurophysiology, psychological aspects, and terminology. Assessment tools and objective findings for recognizing addiction in patients in pain are discussed, as is the management of acute pain and perioperative considerations for patients who are undergoing opioid treatment programs.