Are you intensely addicted to pain pills? You would be happy to know that certainly you are not alone. The cycle of it’suse, dependence, and in use is playing out, repeatedly, in every community across the country. Note that the cycle is described as 'use, dependence, use'--a description that is accurate, because in many cases the cycle of dependence starts when you use medication administered by a person whom you trust—probably your physician.
Pain pills generally are called as 'narcotics'. It’s a term that is derived from the Greek word 'narcosis', or 'sleep' due to their sedative effects. Physicians always use the word 'narcotic' to refer to variety of things in different situations. For example, when referring to controlled substances, 'narcotics' may be used to term drugs regulated by the Drug Enforcement Administration(DEA). An anesthesiologist refer ‘narcotic’ to the portion of the anesthetic that is comprised of drugs that bind to brain 'opiate receptors'. 'Opiate' is another word that is used by physicians in reference to pain pills. The word comes from 'opium', a substance that is derived from poppies and used to make heroin and morphine. The reference 'opiate'is also used for synthetic pain medication that has no connection to poppies or opium.
Mostof you must have heard of 'endorphins'. Endorphins are produced in the human body, and when released, block pain. Endorphins are most of the times referred as 'endogenous opiates' because of their role in pain sensation, even though they have no relation to poppies or even opium, and are structurally quite dissimilar. These natural pain relievers have many other functions in the body. Endorphins are one unique group out of dozens of 'neurotransmitters', the substances that are involved in the communication between nerve cells. Endorphins and other neurotransmitters act as 'receptors', the receptor being a lock on the cell for nerve, and the neurotransmitter being the key element that fits in the lock. Surprisingly, poppies produce a substance that looks different from the natural key known, but that acts like endorphins that fits the exact same keyhole. That substance, a one molecule from the sap of a red flower has helped the human species to ease suffering in countless of elements, and also has resulted in the deaths of millions of many others.
Over the years scientists have come up with synthetic 'opiates' that has the potential far beyond anything that’s produced by nature. Anesthesiologists use 'sufentanil' that reduce responses to pain during surgery operations. Sufentanil is extremely potent; an amount equal to the size of one grain of salt, say one tenth of just one milligram, placed on the tongue would cause respiratory arrest in a grown up man within seconds. More commonly opiates are taken by patients in the form of codeine, hydrocodone (Vicodin), hydromorphone (Dilaudid)oxycodone (Oxycontin). The prescriptions for these substances are given out to millions of people every day in response to complaints of pain.
Opiates relieve pain, and work in many areas of the brain so as to elevate mood, ease tension, give a subjective sensation of warmth, and cause sedation. They can cause nausea and vomiting, particularly in patients who are naive to them. Finally, they change the response of the brain to a relatively low oxygen and high carbon dioxide in the blood, and slow respiration
