My mother is 78, her spine is deteriorating and she is in constant pain. she is now in a nursing home and is on strong pain meds she is quite weak, i think she is not getting better though she is in rehab. how long can her liver take these pain meds a mon

Have : Have her be seen by an interventional pain mananagement specialist to rule out compression fracture, spinal stenosis or facet joint arthritis, all which can be treated without medications or surgery. Check: the web site of the american society of interventional pain physicians and go to state section to find an md in your area thanks!

I'm : I'm sorry to hear that your mother isn't doing well. She's in a quandary because she needs her mental faculties in order to participate in rehab yet severe constant pain can be quite distracting to say the least and narcotics can alter one's mental status. There are different types of pain meds ranging from over-the-counter Acetaminophen & non-steroidal anti-inflammatories (nsaids) to prescription narcotics, some of which are mixed with acetaminophen. Nsaids can wreak havoc on the kidneys and increase one's risk for bleeding in the stomach. Recently, nsaids were also linked to heart disease. On the other hand, Acetaminophen can damage the liver when taken in high doses. In fact, the upper limit for daily use was recently lowered from 4, 000mg down to 3, 000mg. In those who drink alcohol regularly, even less Acetaminophen should be used. The higher the dose, the shorter the time one should use acetaminophen. And recently, it was associated with certain cancers although the link hasn't been proven. With all that said, bisphosphonates and calcitonin can often bring about pain relief in those suffering from osteoporotic fractures. Of course, adequate calcium & vitamin d is necessary, too. Some would advocate vertebroplasty or kyphoplasty to help deal with the pain of vertebral compression fractures although the data isn't clear on benefit. Perhaps your mother's family physician or geriatrician could re-evaluate her pain & rehabilitation. One other thought would be hospice. Good luck!