Heroin abuse is a serious problem for the user and for those around him. According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, heroin is classified as a Schedule I drug, meaning it is highly addictive and dangerous, even the first time a...
According to the experts at the Mayo Clinic, butorphanol is a pain reliever that is available by prescription only. It comes in both a nasal spray form and in an injectable form; the prescription you receive will be determined by you and your...
An opiate is a drug used for pain relief. Opiates, such as heroin, opium, morphine and codeine, are found in nature in the Asian poppy's seed pod. Opiate use often leads to dependence and addiction. Numerous symptoms follow opiate addiction. A...
The esophagus is a 10-inch tube that brings food from the mouth to the stomach to be digested. The National Institute of Cancer reports that esophageal cancer is more common in men in the United States, with 13,000 new diagnoses in men each year,...
Hydrocodone is considered a narcotic pain reliever. Any drugs that fall under this class need careful monitoring because they are highly addictive. Although effective at relieving pain, there are a slew of side effects that accompany these drugs;...
Tylenol with codeine is a commonly prescribed pain medication that contains two drugs, acetaminophen (Tylenol), a mild pain reliever and codeine, a narcotic Schedule III controlled substance used to treat mild to moderate pain. Tylenol with...
Morphine is a strong narcotic known as an opiate analgesic. Doctors frequently prescribe it to relieve moderate to severe pain, but drug dealers also sell it illegally on the street. Morphine comes in either extended-release tablet form for...
The pupil is the tiny dark hole in the center of the iris that dilates or constricts in response to the amount of light available and emotional states such as fear. The iris’s two muscles control the pupil’s size. Disorders that...
The majority of lung cancer patients are diagnosed with non-small cell lung carcinoma. This disease grows more slowly than small cell lung cancer, but it has spread to other parts of the body by the time 40 percent of people with the disease are...
Oxycontin is a prescription medication with the main ingredient oxycodone. The medication mimic natural compounds found naturally in opium, according to MedlinePlus. Side effects are similar to other opium-based drugs such as morphine or codeine,...
The eye pupil is the hole in the middle of the iris, the colored part of the eye. Pupils dilate and shrink in response to light; two muscles control pupil size, according to "Fundamentals for Ophthalmic Personnel." Pupillary reactions are...
The human eye is a spherical organ that processes the images in front of us. The eye is simultaneously delicate and sturdy, composed of many different parts and points that work together to enable your vision. Remember to treat your eyes with care...
An aneurysm, according to the U.S. National Library of Medicine's online medical library called MedlinePlus, is an "abnormal widening or ballooning of a section of a blood vessel." When a portion of the blood vessel becomes weakened, possibly by...
During an eye exam, the doctor may discover damage to the optic nerve that results from a high pressure inside the eye. The optic nerve has the responsibility of transmitting information to the brain, and if a high pressure damages the optic...
The National Survey on Drug Use and Health, published by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, reports data on alcohol and illicit drug use. The most recent survey, published in 2008, states that approximately 22.2 million people in...
The pupil's size is determined by a balance between the input from the two parts of the autonomic nervous system --- sympathetic and parasympathetic. Sympathetic nerves release adrenaline, which causes the pupil to expand. Parasympathetic nerves...
Lung cancer is the leading cancer cause of death among people ages 45 to 70, according to the Merck Manual. Cigarette smoke is cited as the most common contributor to lung cancer. Originating in the lung tissue, lung cancer is considered a primary...
Gazing into your baby's eyes can do more than fill you with a thrill. It can also give you a chance to check for certain conditions that merit a trip to the doctor, website Kids Health points out. Different sized pupils, eyes that move...
Neurological problems in children often cause eye problems if the nerves that lead to the eyes or the part of the brain that controls eye movements are damaged or diseased. A vast number of problems can cause ocular symptoms, which can cause...
Whether you are suffering from chronic dryness, inflammation, redness, foreign body sensation, eye debris or other eye irritations, an herbal compress and eye wash can offer quick relief. Certain herbs are know for their ability to cleanse the...
The brain stem contains within a small area the control centers for the heart rate and breathing, as well as all the nerves that transmit motor and sensory signals between the brain and the body. Blood vessels that supply the brain stem also...
In the 2009 edition of "Williams' Obstetrics," obstetrician Dr. F. Gary Cunningham explains that the effects of chicken pox on an unborn baby depend on the timing of the exposure. Fetuses exposed before 30 weeks may exhibit a cluster of birth...
Vicodin is a combination of acetaminophen and hydrocodone, and is considered a narcotic pain reliever. Hydrocodone is the stronger of the two ingredients, as the acetaminophen is used primarily to increase its strength. Available by prescription...
Dibenzyline is the brand name of phenoxybenzamine, a medication used in the treatment of high blood pressure, also called hypertension. Phenoxybenzamine is used in the body to prevent chemicals from having effects that can cause hypertension. It...
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports stroke as the third leading cause of death among Americans. In 2007, strokes caused one in nearly 17 deaths, according to the CDC. Strokes occur when blood cannot reach the brain, often...
Painkillers (analgesics) are available over-the-counter and by prescription, and are used to treat the pain and discomfort associated with injury, surgery or various medical conditions. There are two types of painkillers: narcotics (opioid...
Opiates are medications that are derived from the opium poppy plant. These medications are most commonly prescribed as pain killers, as they attach to the opiate receptors in the brain and produce pain relief and feelings of euphoria, followed by...
Fentanyl, brand name Duragesic, is an opium-derived narcotic pain reliever similar to but more potent than morphine. The most commonly prescribed form is the transdermal (delivers through the skin) patch, which continually releases a specific...
Earaches can produce temporary or constant pain that can burn, be sharp or feel dull. An ear infection may come along with a fever. An earache may even be caused by referred pain from a sore throat, advises the New York Times. There are many...
