Pain Relief Drugs

When you suffer from Chronic Pain, a persistent pain that is associated with long-term illness or injury, you may be prescribed drugs to help you combat your pain. The pain relief drugs will either be Opiate or non-Opiate.

Non-Opiate drugs are non-addictive, they include paracetemol, cocodamol, ibuprofen and other anti-inflammatory products, and are normally prescribed for shorter term pain relief or when the pain is less severe.

Opiate drugs are potentially addictive, and include morphine, hydrocodone and codeine. People can form an addiction to Opiate Drugs (the family of drugs that also includes Heroin and Opium) and this is normally visible by their increasing the recommended doseage. This indicates that the person is using the drug for more than just pain relief, they are also benefiting from the other effects of the drug on a regular basis, this typifies psychological addiction.

When someone begins to take an Opiate the drug is new to the bodies system and normally takes a period of time for the body to adjust, this may include feelings of dizziness and nausea. Once you have become accustomed to the drug your body will begin to normalize, and within a few weeks your body will actually become dependent, from a physical point of view. This is not the same as addiction, though addiction will also be accompanied by physical dependence.

Addiction is a psychological condition that includes a craving; Dependence is a physical condition that is created through your body’s natural adaptation to the substance.

If a user of Opiates decides they want to come off the drug, then this should be managed in a way that minimizes the bodies reaction to withdrawal, the main feature of dependence. Simply stopping taking the product, will result in withdrawal symptoms which can include extreme headaches, sweating, muscle spasms and bowel problems, all of which when combined are a very unpleasant experience that will last for days and more often weeks, depending on the length of time and dose.

Physical Dependence is inevitable with Opiates, Addiction is not and is far more difficult to overcome. Doctors before prescribing drugs of an Opiate base should always consider the ethics of the situation first.

Has the patient used Addictive drugs before?
Is there any family History of Drug Abuse?
What is the patients current Mental State/
How has the patient responded to the trauma?

All of these questions should be asked prior to prescription.

If you or anyone you know has been prescribed Opiates you must consider the likelihood of addiction, because overcoming addiction can be harder than dealing with the pain that you were trying to help in the first place, and can become worse when you add in the pain that addiction can cause families and friends of the addict.

If you know anyone who has a problem with drugs or you would like to speak to someone about your own worries, why not talk to Fran k on 0800 776600 or visit www.TalktoFrank.com for friendly advice.

If you found this article useful you can make your comments here.