Examples
| Brand Name | Chemical Name |
| Vicodin, Lortab | |
| Percocet | |
| Percodan | |
| Kadian, MS Contin | |
| OxyContin, Percolone |
Why It Is Used
Narcotics are recommended only for short-term treatment of severe, sudden (acute) neck pain.
Because these medicines are potentially addictive, they are usually prescribed for a limited time (1 to 2 weeks).
How Well It Works
Using narcotic medications to treat neck pain is not well studied.1
When a narcotic does relieve pain, it becomes less effective over time. The body becomes more tolerant of narcotic medication, and then a normal narcotic dosage provides less effective pain relief.
Side Effects
Side effects include:
- Drug addiction/dependence.
- Confusion.
- Drowsiness.
- Nausea.
- Vomiting.
- Constipation.
See Drug Reference for a full list of side effects. (Drug Reference is not available in all systems.)
What To Think About
Narcotics are not intended for use “until all the pain goes away.” They are intended to be used only for a few days at the most. Your doctor will probably only prescribe enough to get you through the most severe pain.
Complete the new medication information form (PDF)
(What is a PDF document?) to help you understand this medication.
Credits
| Author | Shannon Erstad, MBA/MPH |
| Editor | Kathleen M. Ariss, MS |
| Associate Editor | Pat Truman, MATC |
| Primary Medical Reviewer | William M. Green, MD - Emergency Medicine |
| Specialist Medical Reviewer | Robert B. Keller, MD - Orthopedics |
| Last Updated | August 21, 2008 |
