NATIONWIDE -- There's a nationwide shortage on injectable hydromorphone and morphine.

• The drug is used mostly for relieving pain when people come into the emergency room
• Hospitals are giving patients alternatives to deal with pain
• Novant says production will increase this summer but expect shortages will continue throughout the year

The drug is used mostly for relieving pain when people come into the emergency room.

Last year the Drug and Enforcement Agency announced restrictions on opioid production. Hospitals are giving patients alternatives to deal with pain.

"When we started to see shortages of these products back in the fall of 2017, we quickly put a couple of measures in place. Wherever possible we're using oral agents,” said Novant Health senior director of pharmacy business operations, Joe Maki. “We're also using some other injectable alternatives to help manage pain. So from a patient's perspective they're really not going to notice a difference."

Novant says production will increase this summer but expect shortages will continue throughout the year.