Knowing the pain medication list, strongest to weakest, can be an essential reference to have. In fact, having this information in hand can help you gauge how serious your condition is, and it will will help avoid life-threatening consequences. For instance, if you are feeling any dental pain, the type of pain medication that your dentist would give you alerts you at how severe your condition could be. So, if the drugs you take are ineffective for your pain, go see your dentist at once. Just book an appointment at Dental Excellence’s clinic in Woden today or any dental clinic nearest you. It is much better to talk with a dentist or doctor before adding or taking any type of medication. Meanwhile, in this article, you will learn about opioids and their list from strongest to weakest.
Pain Relief Medications: What are Opioids?
Opioids are a kind of narcotic pain medication. They work in the brain to create different effects, primarily to relieve pain. Opioids range from prescription painkillers to street drugs such as 
heroin.
Numerous prescription opioids treat moderate to severe pain, hindering pain signals between the body and the mind. Additionally, this kind of medication can give someone a happy or relaxed feeling that can be addictive.
List of Opioids From Strongest to Weakest
Many people use painkillers when they experience headaches, muscle pain, and some dental problems. You can click on this link to know more about these tooth-related instances. Taking opioids can help get pain relief, but these controlled substances have a high potential for abuse. However, not all opioids are the same. To use it safely, here are the most popular opioids, listed from strongest to weakest.
Fentanyl
This is one of the most potent and most dangerous opioid pain medications. It is multiple times more strong than heroin. Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid that you can usually get after surgery to manage severe pain. Nevertheless, this drug has become an exceptionally famous street drug of abuse. Suppose someone with little to zero tolerance to narcotics consumes even the littlest measure of the substance. In that case, they are in serious danger of opioid overdose.
Heroin
Heroin is the second strongest opioid. It originates from morphine, and unlike most opioids, heroin does not have a medical purpose. In fact, it is an illicit drug with an exceptionally high potential for abuse.
Hydromorphone
Hydromorphone, usually known as Dilaudid, is a prescription painkiller given to treat severe pain. Since it is significantly stronger than morphine, it can prompt extreme sedation and relaxation.
Furthermore, people can inject or dissolve this drug. Those who use hydromorphone can quickly feel the impacts similar to those of heroin. Hence, those who battle with an opioid use disorder take this drug as a substitute for heroin.
Oxymorphone
Commonly known by its brand name Opana, oxymorphone has medicinal use in treating moderate to severe pain. However, know that this drug still has a high potential for misuse. Generally, oxymorphone is dispensed in pill structure, but it has a liquid form for injection.
Furthermore, people who misuse this drug may swallow the pills, inject, or snort them. They can likewise be acquired illegally in the street.
Methadone
Methadone is used under strict medical supervision since it helps treat opioid addiction and helps reduce opioid withdrawal symptoms. It has a comparable compound structure to that of heroin and morphine. It can also make a euphoric and sedated feeling. However, abusing methadone against a physician’s orders is illegal.
Since this drug can treat opioid use disorders, some people might believe that methadone is safe. Sadly, this is not the situation. Those who abuse methadone are in danger of fatal overdose.
Oxycodone
Oxycodone is sold under the brand names Oxycontin, Percocet, and Roxicodone. It is one of the most well-known narcotics prescribed by doctors to treat moderate and chronic pain. Although people can get this through prescription, it still has a high potential for abuse because of its relaxing and sedating effects.
Morphine
Morphine is naturally originated from the poppy plant. Although it is natural, morphine can still be potent. The strength of morphine is like the potency of Oxycodone. Usually, professionals prescribe them in replacement for other opioids if they are insufficient at treating pain.
Furthermore, know that morphine is available in pill form. However, people who abuse it prefer the injection type due to the immediate close effects.
Hydrocodone
Hydrocodone, commonly known by its brand name Lortab and Vicodin, is the most popular prescription opioid pain medication in the US. It has staggering rates of street use, hydrocodone diversion, and polydrug abuse, including drinking while under the influence of the drug. Most of the time, users with a hydrocodone addiction will often continue on to more potent opioids.
Codeine
People can find this drug in a prescription cough syrup. It can likewise be prescribed to treat moderate pain when it comes in tablet form joined with Tylenol. Even though codeine is weaker in capability than numerous other opioids, it still has a potential for abuse.
Meperidine
Commonly known as Demerol, meperidine was the first synthetic opioid to reach the market. It is weaker compared to the other opioids first mentioned on this list. However, like any other drug, meperidine still has the potential for misuse. Even though meperidine is not as powerful as some narcotics, physical tolerance and dependence on the medication creates far faster than a portion of the more potent opioids. Hence, it can be pretty much as dangerous as the other opioids.
Tramadol
Tramadol, usually known as Ultram, has a similar effect to meperidine. However, it is less dangerous since there is a lower risk of physical dependence, tolerance, and abuse. In fact, when your root canal might be infected with bacteria and cause severe acute pain, tramadol and acetaminophen combination can be used. This was especially the case when other pain medications did not work. Remember that even though it is the weakest opioid, people can still abuse tramadol, leading to addiction.
How To Safely Use Opioids to Manage Pain?
Know that opioid pain medications do not fix the medical problem but can help you manage the pain. They are potent drugs with different side effects that might prompt abuse, misuse, and addiction.
When consuming long-term opioid pain relievers, here are a couple of tips to follow to prevent abusing them.
- Keep the doctor updated
- Follow the treatment plan
- Adhere to the instructions carefully and accurately
- Be mindful and understand the side effects
- Limit the danger of drug interactions
When To Get Help For Opioid Addiction
Opioid addiction is a medical condition. Once you become addicted to opioids or any kinds of drugs, you cannot resist the desire to use them, regardless of how much harm they may cause. That is why it is necessary to be aware of drug abuse and addiction indications to know when to get help.
Signs and symptoms of opioid addiction include:
- Drowsiness
- Decreased libido
- Erratic sleep pattern
- Unable to stop using the opioid
- Weight loss
- Uncontrollable cravings for the medication
- Isolation from friends and family
- Symptoms similar to the flu
- New financial struggles
If you are suffering from any kind of drug addiction, then treatment is necessary. Therapy might start with medical detox to help relieve withdrawal symptoms.
In addition, Medication-assisted Treatment (MAT) is used to carefully administer drugs such as Buprenorphine, Naltrexone, and Suboxone. This helps diminish opioid addiction and related deaths and increases the probability that an individual will stay in long-term treatment.
Furthermore, MAT is best when joined with counseling, behavioral therapy, and group support. This guarantees that patients have the best likelihood of successful recovery and maintaining abstinence after treatment. So, if you know someone suffering from substance abuse, call a doctor and find out how they help people free themselves from the chains of addiction! If you experience throbbing pain, you can also go to a massage clinic instead.
References:
Pain medications – narcotics.
https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/007489.htm
Fentanyl.
https://www.drugabuse.gov/drug-topics/fentanyl
Dilaudid (Hydromorphone (Injection)).
https://www.everydayhealth.com/drugs/dilaudid
Heroin.
https://www.uofmhealth.org/health-library/uq2454
Opioid Use Disorder.
https://www.psychiatry.org/patients-families/addiction/opioid-use-disorder