Today's opioid epidemic has been linked to the rise of painkiller prescriptions starting in the 1990s. The higher the dose of opioid medication used for pain and the greater the number of days the patient uses the medication, the greater the risk of dependence. More research is needed to determine the exact dose and number of days after which prescription opioid becomes addictive. Current ...
The Dangers of Taking Suboxone and Xanax
Some patients who take Suboxone® as part of medication-assisted treatment (MAT) also take Xanax. They may have prescriptions for both drugs from separate doctors. Patients who are undergoing medication-assisted treatment (MAT) and are prescribed Xanax may try to use it to enhance the effects of opioids. However, it is important to understand that combining Suboxone and Xanax carries significant ...
Treating Oxycodone Addiction
Some patients develop opioid addiction due to misuse of oxycodone, which is also known by the brand name OxyContin®. This opioid painkiller helps many patients get relief from severe pain, but it also has associated risks. Learn more about oxycodone, its proper uses and how professionals help people with oxycodone addiction. About Oxycodone and OxyContin® Oxycodone can come as a liquid solution, ...
Doctors are Prescribing Fewer Drugs – How is this Affecting the Opioid Epidemic?
It’s no secret that the start of the new millennium was one of the main turning points of opioid addiction in America. The 2000s sparked what is now considered to be one of the worst drug epidemics in history with millions of lives affected, and thousands more being added to that number every day. The FDA declared the over-prescribing of opioid painkillers to be a leading driver of the ...
Prescription Opiates: How much is too much?
One of the biggest challenges facing the doctors and other prescribers who order prescription opiates for their patients in pain is choosing the right dose. Despite heightened awareness of the dangers of prescription pain pills, many doctors continue to write for them because they simply don’t want their patients to go about in pain. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration ...
You, Your Doctor, and Prescription Drug Misuse
Many people become addicted to pain pills—and sometimes end up on heroin—because of simple prescription drug misuse. Primary care physicians prescribe medication for all kinds of ailments, and if a patient comes to the office with a complaint of pain from an injury, or if the person suffers from a debilitating condition, they often feel it is well within their scope of practice to choose the ...
