Despite some recent encouraging numbers in the battle against addiction, drug rehab treatment centers are seeing higher numbers of patients than ever before, according to a recent survey.

Conducted by the magazine Addiction Professional, the survey found that 55 percent of drug rehab facilities reported higher patient numbers in 2010 than the year before. Individuals sought both inpatient and outpatient treatment.

Despite this increase, the survey numbers did offer a glimmer of hope. A relatively small percent of drug rehab facilities said that they expect patient enrollment to continue growing in the coming year. Some cited healthcare reform as a potential barrier to accessing services.

One survey participant said that the numbers reflect the uncertainty that is present in the wider healthcare community, and described the drug rehab industry as being “at a crossroads.”

Much of last year’s increase in substance abuse treatment enrollment may have come from prescription painkiller addicts. Studies from the National Institute on Drug Abuse have shown that this is one of the fastest growing addictions.