Prescription use of powerful opioid medications are at an all-time high. With that, abuse and overdoses have reached epidemic levels. It’s important for all patients who are prescribed pain medications to fully understand the medication they are taking. Prescription pain medication can be very helpful, but only when used properly!
If you are dealing with chronic pain, schedule an appointment with a pain specialist, at our ISPM Clinic, with locations throughout Utah.
What to Know
Understanding the facts about prescribed pain medication is the first step in taking them safely. Below are a few points you should understand from your doctor before taking any type of pain medication:
• Drug name
• Dosage
• Frequency
• Why you’ve been prescribed
• Specific risks to taking medication
If you’ve suffered with addiction in the past, it’s best to tell your doctor upfront. Your Pain doctor at ISPM should know your complete medical history before a prescription is written.
Common Types of Pain Medication
• Morphine: Often used after surgical procedures to eliminate severe pain.
• Codeine: This pain reliever is used to treat mild to moderate pain and sometimes used as a cough suppressant. Codeine is considered a schedule III drug, indicating that it has potential for physical and psychological dependency and abuse.
• Oxycodone: This controlled substance is prescribed for moderate to severe pain. It acts on the central nervous system to provide pain relief.
• Hydrocodone: Often prescribed for treatment of chronic or acute pain. This schedule II drug can be habit forming, especially with prolonged use.
• Suboxone: Mostly used for pain involving surgeries. While Suboxone is considered a “partial opioid,” it still requires supervision by a trained medical professional. Contact our Suboxone doctors at ISPM to learn more.
Understanding Dosage & Side Effects of Pain Medication
Pain medications are only safe and effective when used as directed. Any kind of misuse can be extremely harmful and can even cause death.
Patients who are prescribed medication should follow their medical professional’s advice (Contact the Suboxone doctors at ISPM at all Utah locations). Never change the dosage of your medication without talking with your doctor first.
Everyone reacts to pain and medications differently. Below are a few common side-effects of prescription pain medication:
• Nausea
• Itching
• Constipation
• Drowsiness
• Confusion
If you experience any negative side-effects, get in touch with your pain doctor immediately.
Storage and Disposal
Proper pain medication storage and disposal is critical in preventing unintentional exposure to the family members in your household. Even low dosage consumption of certain pain medicine can harm others—especially young children. Also, highly addictive medications, such as opioids, are frequently misused and susceptible to theft. It’s important to keep all pharmaceuticals in their original packaging and store them in a locked cabinet. Even if you don’t live with other people, you can never be too safe when dealing with medical misuse.
If any pills are leftover after you’ve been told to cease treatment, throw them away. Disposal instructions will vary depending on the medication, so be sure to check the packaging or ask your doctor. It’s also smart to remove any personal information on the empty medicine packaging—to protect your identity— before throwing it away.
Pain Management Utah
Find the right pain management doctors at ISPM to treat your condition—don’t let your pain linger. Ask questions and understand your medications so you can stay safe. We have convenient locations throughout Utah at Bountiful, Ogden, Murray and Providence.
Get in touch with us by calling 801-262-7246
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