The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that 980,000 individuals in the U.S. are addicted to opiates such as heroin and narcotic pain killers. The cost of untreated opiate addiction exceeds $20 billion a year. A medication called...
Suboxone is the brand name for the combination of buprenorphine and naloxone prescribed as a sublingual tablet for treatment of opiate addiction. The treatment is usually indicated for those narcotic pain killers derived from the opium poppy. It...
A colonoscopy is a test used to assess the lining of the colon and rectum for abnormalities such as tumors, polyps, ulcers, inflammation and areas of bleeding. It may cause discomfort, so anesthetics and narcotic pain killers are usually...
Doctors prescribe benzodiazepines to relieve anxiety. This class of drugs tends to cause drowsiness and fatigue. Benzodiazepines can be dangerous when taken in conjunction with other medications that decrease respiration, such as narcotic pain...
A study published in the journal "Pain" revealed that subjects using fentanyl patches were able to exercise and experienced less low back pain and better function than subjects taking a placebo. If you suffer from chronic pain, fentanyl might be...
Aside from the personal effects of drug addiction, the disease can cause problems for everyone around the addict as well. The person may have a drug addiction to alcohol, illicit substances such as cocaine, heroine, opiate pills and prescription...
Hydrocodone, a narcotic analgesic medication, is used to treat pain. Hydrocodone is the generic name for the ingredient that appears in Ibudon, Vicoprofen, Reprexain, Vicodin, and codeine. It is known to be habit forming, which prompts may doctors...
Morphine sulfate, derived from opium, belongs to a class of drugs known as narcotic analgesics (narcotic pain-killers) that are used for treating moderate to severe pain. This medication is a strong narcotic that frequently is given following...
Arthritis is the general term for conditions causing pain and inflammation of the joints. The Arthritis Foundation reports osteoarthritis as the most common form of the condition. Osteoarthritis occurs when cartilage between your joints breaks...
Fentanyl is a synthetic opiate used to treat moderate to severe pain. It is 100 times stronger than morphine, which is considered the standard base of effective narcotic pain killers, according to the 2009 edition of Anesthesia. The short-term...
Prescription drugs are medications available only when prescribed by a doctor or other authorized health care providers. These drugs include a variety of medications used to treat specific medical conditions, and they are regulated by the federal...
If you experience stomach pain and an urge to move your bowels after eating, you're probably wondering what's going on. Many people use the term "stomach pain" not only to describe pain in the stomach, but also in the abdominal area, too. See your...
Sweating is a natural bodily function that aids in regulating body temperature. Excessive sweating, known by the medical term hyperhidrosis, is a condition that affects about 1 to 3 percent of the general population, according to the Harvard...
Avinza is one of many brand names for the opioid analgesic called morphine. Morphine was first synthesized from the opium poppy by Friedrich Serturner in 1803. Morphine came into prominence in the medical community during the American Civil War to...
The generically named narcotic analgesic, morphine sulfate is sold in the United States under the brand name Duramorph. It is administered via injection to help control severe pain for a long period. The first dose of the medication typically is...
Pain relievers are medications that reduce or relieve headaches, sore muscles, arthritis or other associated aches and pains, according to MedlinePlus. Over-the-counter medications such as acetaminophen and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are...
People can take common pain relievers such as aspirin, ibuprofen and naproxen by purchasing them over the counter. Higher doses of the same medications require a prescription to allow the physician to keep a close eye on the doses of medication...
Arthritis can affect any joint in the body. It can be mild and cause minimal discomfort or severe enough to alter a person's way of living. One of the most common joints that arthritis affects is the hip. Treatment options for hip arthritis depend...
Between the ages of about 17 and 24, most people experience emergence of wisdom teeth. These large molars often cause pain and other problems, especially when they are impacted and fail to emerge correctly into an open space. If left untouched,...
Pain killers, or analgesics, are essential medications for pain sufferers. Many types are available. The analgesics that begin with "oxy" are oxycodone and oxymorphone. They belong to a class of drugs known as opiods, or narcotics. They are...
Water accounts for roughly 60 to 70 percent your body. Your body requires a steady supply of fresh water to replenish losses in your urine, stool and sweat. Although your body can process and eliminate several gallons of water each day, quickly...
The ability to walk and perform normal daily activities is paramount to maintaining independence. Osteoarthritis, also known as degenerative joint disease, puts that independence at risk if inflammation and disc degeneration occur in the spine....
Addiction to narcotic pain killers derived or synthesized from opium poppies, such as heroin, morphine, codeine, oxycodone, hydrocodone or hydromorphone, is characterized by an increasing need for higher doses, intense cravings and physical...
Pills and tablets can be hard to identify. The identity of the pill is rarely imprinted on its surface and there are so many pills that identifying one can seem like an impossible task. Usually your biggest worry is if the pill is a narcotic pain...
Drug abuse causes significant mental and physical side effects in users. Frequently starting from recreational use, drug abuse can become a habit that causes problems in relationships, the workplace and with the law. Common signs of addiction or...
Pain killers do exactly what the name implies: kill pain. While there were many early pain killers--from herbal remedies to alcoholic beverages--the first medical attempt to come up with a drug for serious pain occurred in the early 19th century...
Oxycodone is a synthetic narcotic opiate pain killer that is available by prescription only for the treatment of moderate to severe pain, according to Drugs.com. Oxycodone is similar to morphine and is often prescribed for patients following major...
Opium is found naturally in the unripe seed pods of the opium poppy. It may be given to relieve severe diarrhea. The active alkaloid morphine contained in the opium is a highly addictive narcotic pain killer. It works on receptors in the nervous...
Morphine is a highly addictive narcotic pain killer made from opium. This opioid works on receptors in the nervous system where it can stimulate molecular changes in cell membranes to relieve pain and slow breathing. A typical dose would be 3 to...