Hydrocodone Addiction - A Rising emergency

Commonly prescribed for its effectiveness as an analgesic or pain reliever, addiction to hydrocodone is today being viewed as a mounting crisis. While addiction to illicit drugs, like cocaine, marijuana and heroin that claim national headlines ever so often, is widely talked about, we scarcely know about hydrocodone abuse and addiction. For instance, did you know that hydrocodone is perhaps the most widely abused designate drug in the United States of America? Or, that nationwide its use has quadrupled over the last decade?

Sales and production of hydrocodone have been rising significantly in the past few years. Presently, in the United States alone about 20 tons of hydrocodone products are artificial and sold.

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What is Hydrocodone?

Simply put, hydrocodone is an efficient anti-cough agent. It is also an opiate, due to which it is of often prescribed for mild to moderate pain control. Often weighed against morphine for its pain control abilities, many studies have shown that when hydrocodone is taken within the designate parameters, it is carefully safe and seldom causes any addiction. In fact, under these conditions it can be used to mange pain quite successfully. Hydrocodone is sold under several brand names such as Anexsia®, Hycodan®, Hycomine®, Lorcet®, Lortab®, Tussionex®, Tylox®, Vicodin®, and Vicoprofen®. It is ready as tablets, capsules, and/or syrups. By and large, it is abused orally rather than by intravenous administration.

Why is Hydrocodone addictive?

Narcotics like hydrocodone act by attaching themselves to particular proteins called opioid receptors. When they attach themselves to receptors in the brain, spinal cord and gastrointestinal tract, they have the capability to alter the manner in which a someone feels pain. Drugs such as hydrocodone also have the capability to sway parts of the brain that control sensory perceptions such as pleasure, which results in the initial feeling of euphoria that is produced.

Persistent use of opioids leads to the body's increasing tolerance towards such medication. Thus higher doses have to be taken to accomplish the same initial effect. Persisting use can also lead to corporal addiction. Persons undergoing treatment using such drugs should be medically supervised while management as well as appropriately overseen when discontinuing medication to avoid and sell out resignation symptoms related with this drug.

Side Effects of Hydrocodone

There are many side-effects of hydrocodone. These include, but are not little to, allergic reactions, such as hives, constipation, decreased thinking and corporal performance, lowered sex drive, breathing problems, dizziness, seizures and many more.

Hydrocodone Addiction - A Rising emergency