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We all tend to suffer from a mild muscle ache or a headache from time to time, so using an over the counter drug to relieve us from that pain is always the best option. However, there are times when we tend to suffer from severe pain doctors tend to prescribe the Opioid drugs to their patients.
What are Opioid Drugs?
Opioid drugs refer to a kind of pain medication that is prescribed by doctors to patients that suffers from severe pain. It is important to keep an eye out for the dosage of the Opioid drugs because if it is not used in a proper manner there are a number of side effects one can suffer from.
When the drug is consumed, it actually binds itself to all the Opioid receptors that are present in the spinal cord, brain and different parts of the body. This lets your brain convince you that you are not in any kind of pain.
In order to take Opioid drugs, you would have to first contact your doctor first. It is only with his recommendation that you should start taking Opioid drugs. Depending on the level of the pain you are experiencing your doctor will prescribe to you the number of narcotics you would require to stop that pain.
When you are taking your medications regularly it is quite important that you check in with your doctor on a regular basis. Your doctor will make a note of how your pain is being handled by the intake of your drug and also if you are experiencing any sort of side effects or not. It is never recommended to stop taking the drug without consulting your doctor first. It might happen so that the dose given to you by your doctor is less which might be the reason why it is not working properly to stop the pain. Check in with your doctor so that your doctor can either change the medication or increase the dose if required.
Side Effects of Opioid Drug
It is true that Opioids are one of the most abused drugs in the world. It is one of the easiest to get and many people use it as a recreational drug as well. But until and unless it is prescribed to someone by a doctor it can lead to addiction which is never good.
There are a number of substances that are present in prescribed Opioid drugs which have a similar mechanism compared to the natural opiates. The Opioid drugs include Oxycodone, Hydrocodone, and Fentanyl. Even though Opioid drugs are prescribed by many of the doctors they do have a negative side to them.
There are various symptoms that can result from long term use of Opioid drugs which include lethargy, drowsiness, respiratory problems, paranoia, constipation, bloating, liver damage, brain damage resulting from hypoxia etc. Since using opium results in an intense high therefore the drugs can become really addictive if it is not consumed in the proper amount.
How to Treat Opioid Overdose?
If someone has taken too much opioid then it means they are likely to suffer from an overdose. You can spot the signs of Opioid overdose by looking at the person’s face. If they look very pale or their body goes limp then they might be suffering from an overdose. Other symptoms include vomiting or if the nails and the fingers turn purplish blue. If the heartbeat or breathing of the person becomes slow or stops then make use of Naxolone as soon as possible.
If someone is suffering from Opioid overdose then the first thing you should do is call an ambulance. If Naloxone is available to use that in order to stop the Opioid overdose. Naloxone is a medicine that can treat an Opioid overdose. It can either be sprayed in the nose or injected right on to the muscles in order to stop the Opioid drugs from spreading all over the body. It is very important that anyone who is suffering from Opioid overdose must be kept awake.
Ways of Preventing Opioid Overdose
There are some ways through which one can stop from getting an Opioid overdose. The first step is to follow exactly the prescribed amount of Opioids given to you by your doctor. Never take more than the recommended amount. Mixing sleeping pills or alcohol should definitely be out of the question since it leads to severe side effects.
Alternatives to Naloxone for Treating Opioid Overdose
There are other alternatives that can be used in the place of Naloxone in order to treat Opioid overdose.
- Levo-Alpha-Acetylmethadol also was known as LAAM is a popular medicine used in treating Opioid Dependence.
- Buprenorphine-naloxone combination helps during the maintenance therapy during the Opioid Dependence.
- Naltrexone implants are quite an effective medicine for treating Opioid overdose.
If you are someone who intakes Opioid then it is quite crucial to let your friends and family know how to deal with an Opioid overdose.
