Pain Management and Opioids Guide for Consumers
Understand Pain
What Kind of Pain Do You Have?
Talk with Your Doctor about Pain
Self-Care for Pain Management
Understand Opioids
A Pain Medication
Side Effects and Risks
How to Store and Dispose
Pain-numbing medicines made from the opium poppy plant are called opiates. Man-made versions of these drugs are opioids. Opioids, also known as narcotics, are used to manage pain. Opioids are an important pain management option, but they have also have a number of side effects, including physical dependency. Dependency is when your body becomes used to opioids and goes into withdrawal when the medication is stopped. Prolonged use carries the risk of addiction and overdose. An opioid overdose, which causes your breathing to slow down, can cause death.
Opioids are legal when they are taken as prescribed by a healthcare provider. Illegal opioids are traded or sold outside of medical settings or “on the street.”
| Commonly Prescribed Opioid Pain Meds | |
| Generic Name | Example of Brand Name |
| Codeine | Tylenol with Codeine |
| Fentanyl | Duragesic |
| Hydrocodone | Vicodin Lortab Lorcet |
| Morphine | Kadian MS Contin |
| Oxycodone | OxyContin Endocet Percocet |
| Tramadol | Ultracet Ultram |
| Street Names for Illegally Purchased Opioids | |
| 357s Apache Blue Heaven Captain Cody Chill Pills China Girl Demmies Dillies Dollies |
Goodfella Hillbilly Heroin Horse Hydros Pinks Red Rock Sizzurp TNT |
How do opioids work?
Opioids attach to receptors—a part of cells—found in the brain, spinal cord, and other areas of the body. They tell the brain to block pain and make you feel calm and happy. Opioids do not treat the cause of most painful conditions. They make your body feel the pain differently.
Why the Human Brain Loves Opioids. Pain and pleasure rank among nature’s strongest motivators, but when mixed, the two can become irresistible. This PBS News Hour video shows the science of how opioids create addiction in the brain. (5-minute video)