People who suffer from chronic pain have a difficult time in addiction treatment, because many of the drugs used to treat pain are highly addictive. Here’s some information on two of the more common pain relieving drugs that are also more commonly abused.
Morphine is an opioid receptor direct agonist. Its main effect is direct binding and activation of the mu-opioid receptor in the Central Nervous System. Morphine has a higher pain relief effect than many other opioids and can cause higher euphoria, respiratory depression, and drug sedation compared to other opioids. The half-life of Morphine is 2 to 3 hours. There are many commonly prescribed drugs that contain a morphine derivative. These drugs include Methylmorphine (Codeine), Dihydromorphine (Paramorphan), Hydromorphine (Dilaudid), and Diacetylmorphine (Heroin).
Heroin is an intense drug with a half-life of only 3 to 5 minutes! Compare that to the half-life of morphine. When injected heroin produces an immediate tingling sensation and a sudden orgasmic feeling that lasts for 1 to 2 minutes. The 1 to 2 minute euphoria experience is commonly referred to the RUSH. After the RUSH of heroin people experience a state of tranquil drowsiness.
Heroin has a very narrow therapeutic ratio between Lethal Dose and an Effective Dose, which results in many accidental overdoses.
Pain Relief can be accomplished using many other drugs that are less addictive. Please call us for more information about Pain Management Treatment.