A powerful painkiller and one of the most abused prescription drugs in the country, oxycodone is a prescription painkiller commonly referred to by its brand names OxyContin, Percocet, Roxicodone and generic oxycodone. All brand names of the drug contain oxycodone, which is an opioid or narcotic pain medication that is prescribed for the long-term management of moderate to severe pain. However, these medications can cause addiction in their users, prompting the need for oxycodone addiction treatment.
A commonly prescribed medication containing oxycodone and a brand name for the drug, OxyContin is known by various names including “Oxy,” “O.C.’s,” “Oxycet,” “Oxycottons,” “Oxy 80’s,” “Hillbilly Heroin.” Oxycodone is available as a regular and extended-release tablet or capsule that is administered orally once every 12 hours. It is also available as a solution administered via injection into a vein or muscle. People who have chronic, severe pain are typically good candidates for the extended-release version of oxycodone, which is intended to provide people with daily, round-the-clock treatment for managing chronic pain. Some forms of oxycodone are combined with a non-narcotic painkiller such as acetaminophen (e.g., Percocet). The extended-release form of oxycodone is discharged slowly into the bloodstream for a period of up to 12 hours. Doses of oxycodone vary depending on the patient’s severity of pain.
When taken as prescribed, oxycodone can bring about pain relief, reduce anxiety, cause euphoria and lead to extreme relaxation; however, misuse of the drug can lead to an addiction, overdose and even death. A comprehensive oxycodone addiction treatment combines medically assisted oxycodone detox treatment along with behavioral and counseling sessions.
How does oxycodone work?
A semi-synthetic narcotic analgesic, oxycodone helps reduce a person’s perception of, and emotional response, to pain by acting on the central nervous system (CNS). Opioids such as oxycodone bind to naturally occurring opioid receptors located in the spinal cord, brain, gastrointestinal tract, and organs throughout the body to reduce a person’s sensation of pain.