New Study Suggests Over-the-Counter Meds May Work As Well As Opioids In ERs
Opioids are often given to patients who visit emergency rooms with complaints of acute (sudden) pain. While the reason for doing so is to provide fast relief for patients experiencing significant discomfort, a new study suggests over-the-counter medications may be just as effective in some instances. The results are notable since there is a growing […]
The Most Commonly Prescribed Opiates
Derived naturally or synthetically from the opium plant, opiates are a class of drugs that were all originally produced for the purpose of providing pain relief. While not all opiates are used for their intended purpose today, there are many narcotic painkillers commonly used to help patients with severe acute pain or chronic pain that […]
Newborns with Drug Dependency: A Growing Problem
Over two decades ago, the term “neonatal abstinence syndrome” was relatively unheard of in many states. However, it is different now as it has become quite a common occurrence in the newborn intensive care units (NICUs) in the United States. Babies with the syndrome were born with drug dependency. According to the Centers for Disease […]
5 Signs of an Opiate Addiction
Opiate addiction often develops over time. In some instances, the abuse of opiates is intentional, as may be the case if someone is purposely seeking illegal narcotics like opium or heroin. An addiction to opiates can also be unintentional and stem from the use of prescription medications like oxycodone and codeine for legitimate pain. Regardless […]
The Path to Opiate Addiction
Opiates are the oldest class of drugs in the world still in use today. Every drug in this category is, or was originally meant to be, a pain reliever. For many people who develop a dependence on one or more opiates, the path to addiction often starts when these drugs are taken primarily for their […]
Newest Narcotic Laws in the U.S.
More than 200 million prescriptions are written for opiate drugs each year. These narcotic analgesics, including powerful medications such as Morphine and codeine, are only meant to be used short-term for pain relief purposes because these drugs are highly addictive. Because of the rapid increase in the abuse of narcotics, several new laws for been […]
Early vs. Late Withdrawal Symptoms
Opiates do more to the body than create a sense of physical relief from pain. It’s actually the way opiate drugs work within the body to manage chronic or severe pain that sometimes creates a dependence within the brain. Because of characteristics like this, opiates can produce withdrawal symptoms in both early and late stages […]
Medically Supervised Rapid Detox
The exact recovery process will be different for every addict. However, each journey starts at the same point, with the need to remove drugs from the body. This detoxification (detox) process can be physically and mentally demanding. It doesn’t have to be a long, drawn-out process, however, when patients opt for medically supervised rapid detox, […]
Rapid Detox: A Safer Alternative
Defined by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) as a chronic disease characterized by a compulsive need to repeatedly use certain drugs, addiction causes several imbalances within the brain and throughout the body. It’s these changes that can make recovery a challenge for addicts wishing to end their dependency. A safer alternative for patients looking […]
How the Brain Responds to Opiates
Among the world’s oldest drugs used for medicinal purposes, opiates can serve a useful purpose for patients dealing with severe or chronic pain. However, medications like OxyContin, morphine, and fentanyl are only meant to be used short-term because of the addictive nature of these drugs. The reason why opiates can create a physical and emotional […]