About opioids…
Opioids act on the nervous system to
relieve pain and work by reducing the number of pain signals that are sent to
the brain. They are usually used to treat moderate to severe pain, and are
commonly used during and after some surgical procedures. These drugs are all
opioids: opium, codeine, fentanyl, hydrocodone, hydromorphone, methadone,
morphine, oxycodone, oxymorphone, paregoric, sufentanil, vicodan, lortab,
Percocet, Darvon, dilaudid, tramadol, and heroin, which is an “illegal” opioid,
to name a few. Some of these opioids can
actually be used to treat opioid addiction.
Opioids are depressants, which means they slow down the central nervous
system, causing drowsiness, a slow heart rate and breathing. Not everyone feels
or responds to opioids in the same way. Opioids can be especially dangerous
when used with other drugs, especially some allergy, sleep and anti-anxiety
medications, and or alcohol.
All opioids have the
potential to be addictive and
the longer opioids are used the risk for physical dependence and or addiction
increases
About pain management…
The opioid epidemic has brought much needed
attention to chronic pain and how best to treat it. Unfortunately there are no
simple answers, and for many people finding appropriate treatment can be
difficult. What has been learned about chronic non- cancer pain is that there
are many effective non-opioid forms of treatment. Some of these options include
physical therapy, massage, and acupuncture to name a few. Working with your
physician to find the best treatment plan for you is important. Restoring
function is the goal of pain management.
About the opioid epidemic…
The current drug overdose
epidemic is caused by the misuse of
both prescription and non-prescription opioids.
The epidemic of drug overdoses is primarily caused by fentanyl,
which is an extremely potent synthetic opioid. The fentanyl that is found on
the streets is illicitly manufactured. Frequently illicit or “street drugs” are
purposely cut with other drugs to make them more powerful. Some drug overdoses
are from combining opioids with other drugs that can intensify the effects of
the opioids.
About physical dependence, tolerance and addiction…
Physical dependence can happen with the
chronic use of some drugs—including many prescription drugs, even if taken as
instructed. Physical dependence does not constitute addiction,
but it often accompanies addiction. This difference can be difficult to
discern, particularly with prescribed pain medications, for which the need for
increasing dosages can represent tolerance or a worsening underlying problem,
as opposed to the beginning of abuse or addiction.
Drug tolerance means that
a person’s reaction to a drug decreases
as they continue to use it. A person with a drug tolerance has to take larger doses in
order to achieve the same effect as they did earlier in their drug use. Drug tolerance is not addiction. It is
simply the body becoming desensitized to the drug’s effects.
Addiction is a
chronic relapsing disease that effects the brain and behavior. Initially one
has control over the use of a drug, but over time develops a powerful
compulsion to use the drug. The ability to control impulses despite negative consequences
is a hallmark of addiction.
People with an
addiction tend to show the three Cs: craving for the object of
the addiction, which can be mild to intense, loss of control over use of the
object of the addiction, continued engagement with
the object of the addiction in spite of harmful consequences.
There is no single
factor that can predict who will develop an addiction. Genetic, environmental
and developmental factors all influence the risk of developing an addiction.
Many people have wrongly believed that people who have a drug addiction lack
willpower or substance misuse is some kind of moral failing. Addiction
knows no socioeconomic or ethnic boundaries. Addictions develop for a variety
reasons that are unique to each individual. It is important to know that drug
addiction can be treated and managed, but getting treatment and
support can help make recovery possible. Addiction to opioids is called “opioid use disorder” (OUD).
