For mild muscle pains and headaches, an over-the-counter pain reliever will be enough to make you feel better. However there are cases where the pain is so severe that ordinary painkillers are not enough and stronger medication required, and in this case, you will need something like a prescription opioid. Opioids are special types of narcotic pain relievers and while they are powerful, can have serious side effects, so you need to understand how they work.

How Opioid Medications Work

Opioid drugs may have different ingredients and produced in different ways, but they work the same way, and that is by attaching to the brain’s opioid receptors, the spinal cord and other parts of your body that feel pain. When you take the drug, it effectively blocks the pain signals being sent to your brain so you don’t feel them anymore. Because of their makeup, opioid drugs are meant for treating moderate to severe pain, and are only used as a last resort if ordinary medications do not provide relief.

Working with a Doctor to Get Treatment

There are several kinds of opioid medication available, but you need to work with your doctor to determine which one is right for you. Most of these painkillers are sold as tablets and pills, but others are available as injection or come in the form of a patch that is applied to your skin and absorbed in the body.

No matter what form the medication is, a prescription is required as your doctor will be the one to adjust the dosage depending on how your condition improves. For severe pain you will be prescribed doses round the clock to make the pain more manageable, but if the pain is intermittent you will be given opioids on an as-needed basis. As you take the opioid drug, regular visits with your doctor is necessary to determine how well you are responding to the drug and if you are experiencing any side effects.

Treatment

Oxycodone is an opioid pain reliever for treating moderate and intense pain. This narcotic is meant for round the clock treatment and should not be given to those who need pain relievers on occasion. Belonging to the analgesics class, Oxycodone directly interacts with your brain to reduce pain. This medication should be taken only as directed by your health care provider, and you may do so with or without food. If you are feeling nauseous do not take food prior to taking the drug.

Just like other narcotics, Oxycodone has numerous side effects including drowsiness, nausea, lightheadedness and constipation. Most of the time these effects disappear after you have used the drug for a few weeks, but if they don’t and actually worsen, talk to your doctor so the proper adjustments to your treatment can be made. If after taking the medication you suffer from constipation, include plenty of fiber in your diet, and you should exercise as well, as that can relieve some of the side effects associated with this drug.