Drug treatment - narcotics

Narcotics, also called opioid pain relievers, are reserved for pain that is severe and not helped by other types of painkillers. Narcotics work by binding to receptors in the brain, blocking your feeling of pain and, therefore, your limitations from pain. These drugs do have the potential for abuse and addiction. Addition, however, is less of a problem than once thought when these medicines are used as prescribed for relief of pain. While these medicines should be used carefully and only under the direct supervision of a doctor, they can be effective at reducing pain.

Examples of opioids include:

Possible side effects

In addition to the risk of addiction, opioids can cause:

When taking narcotics, do not drink alcohol, drive, or operate heavy machinery.

 


Review Date: 6/29/2011
Reviewed By: Andrew W. Piasecki, MD, Camden Bone and Joint, LLC, Orthopaedic Surgery/Sports Medicine, Camden, SC. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.
The information provided herein should not be used during any medical emergency or for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. A licensed medical professional should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions. Links to other sites are provided for information only -- they do not constitute endorsements of those other sites. No warranty of any kind, either expressed or implied, is made as to the accuracy, reliability, timeliness, or correctness of any translations made by a third-party service of the information provided herein into any other language. © 1997- A.D.A.M., a business unit of Ebix, Inc. Any duplication or distribution of the information contained herein is strictly prohibited.
© 1997- adam.comAll rights reserved.
A.D.A.M. content is best viewed in IE9 or above, Firefox and Google Chrome browser.