Narcotics Analgesics is synthetic pain relievers that work on opioid receptors in the body to produce similar opium-like effects. More specifically they are used for chronic pain management, often for cancer pain, and for chronic pain management in post-opiate drug users. Illegally they are also used as painkillers and to treat depression. They are often prescribed by doctors for short periods of time and can be abused to create a dependency on them.
There are two main types of narcotic analgesics namely street drugs, such as heroin and morphine; and prescription medications, such as OxyContin, Percocet, and Vicodin. Analgesics relieve pain by stimulating the production of endorphins, the body's natural painkillers. The receptors in the brain send signals to the spinal cord to provide a constant signal that there is pain, which is why narcotics analgesics are effective in alleviating pain.
It is important that when using narcotic analgesics that healthcare professionals don't rely solely on the taking of the medication to achieve relief from pain. This can lead to a host of dangerous side effects. For instance, when a patient becomes addicted to a narcotic, the body will adjust to the medication and cease producing its own narcotics analgesics to combat the overpowering pain experienced. If taken in high doses, this can lead to respiratory depression and other severe consequences.
Many people are aware that the misuse of narcotic pain medication medications can result in unpleasant side effects and addiction. However, very few people understand how healthcare providers prescribe these narcotics analgesics. The medical establishment will exploit the ignorance of the medical community to generate profits from these unsuspecting individuals. A significant minority of healthcare providers are not licensed or even trained in the use of narcotics analgesics. Consequently, they are unaware of the potential dangers associated with prescribing these drugs.