From Painkillers to Heroin: Why this Path is Common
Every day in the United States, over 115 people die from an opioid overdose. In fact, opioids were blamed for the sharp increase in accidental deaths in 2016. We are facing an opioid crisis, and many people can’t help but wonder what led us here. The path, surprisingly, is an easy one. How Opioid Addictions […]
Drug-Free Ways to Manage Chronic Pain
If you are recovering from drug addiction, you know how important it is to stay away from things that can put you at risk for relapse. Unfortunately, some recovering addicts must learn how to manage chronic pain without taking opioid prescriptions or over-the-counter meds. It can seem difficult at first, but there are many drug-free […]
Is Purple Drank Making a Comeback?
Purple drank is a combination of prescription-strength cough syrup, soft drinks, and hard candy. The drink became popular in the 1980s when hip hop artists began pouring Robitussin into their alcohol. Though any cough medicine can be used, prescription-strength is preferred (and most dangerous) because it contains the opioid codeine. Other names for purple drank […]
Study Confirms Opioid Abuse Often Starts in the Home
A new study confirms that opioid addiction often starts in the family’s medicine cabinet. If someone has surgery and is given OxyContin to manage their pain, it’s more likely than others in the home will get an opioid prescription, too. Prescription opioid use can easily spread within households. The risk is small, around 1 percent. […]
Opioid Side Effects
When you have a headache or lower back pain, your first source of pain relief is usually an over-the-counter aspirin or ibuprofen. If the pain is severe, your doctor may prescribe something stronger, such as a prescription opioid. Opioids are types of narcotic pain medications that are effective at treating severe pain, but they can […]