What Is OxyContin Used for?

OxyContin is a prescription painkiller that is used to treat patients living with chronic pain or acute pain that is moderate to severe.[1] 

If used as prescribed and under the care of a physician, OxyContin can be a safe and effective means of pain management. However, if OxyContin is misused or used outside the bounds of medical necessity, it can be the source of a life-changing opioid use disorder (OUD) that will require intensive, professional treatment to overcome. 

What Is OxyContin Prescribed for?

For those who struggle with chronic pain after an injury or due to illness, OxyContin is a medication that can decrease the experience of pain. 

OxyContin is also prescribed for the management of acute pain immediately after surgery, an injury or an accident. In these cases, it is only prescribed for short-term use, often for no longer than a few days. 

Can OxyContin Help Relieve Severe Pain?

Yes, OxyContin can be used effectively to decrease the experience of severe pain in patients, including those who are living with cancer.[2]

Will a Doctor Prescribe Oxy for Chronic Pain?

Most doctors are conservative when it comes to prescribing an addictive and powerful narcotic like OxyContin. Their goal is to help the patient be more comfortable without putting them at risk of developing an OUD that can be more dangerous than the underlying condition. 

Doctors First Consider Past Therapeutic Interventions

Diagnoses and past efforts at pain management will usually be taken into consideration by doctors who are considering prescribing OxyContin to a patient. If all other conservative measures (such as physical therapy, lifestyle changes, relaxation techniques and non-addictive pain management medications) have been implemented and still aren’t effectively managing pain, a doctor may prescribe OxyContin.

OxyContin Prescription Requires Close Medical Monitoring

If prescribed, most doctors will start with the lowest possible dose of OxyContin and increase the dose only if needed. Even if prescribed, it is usually expected that the patient meets these criteria:

• Continually check in with the prescribing physician to get refills, report adverse reactions and/or request a dose increase

• Continue to engage in physical therapy, take complementary medications and utilize relaxation techniques as appropriate

• Not misuse the medication in any way

• Avoid combining OxyContin with alcohol or other mind-altering substances

Is OxyContin Addictive?

Yes, OxyContin is an opioid, a prescription drug that is in the same class as heroin and morphine, both of which are well-known to be highly addictive substances. 

When OxyContin is taken, the primary ingredient (oxycodone) binds to opioid receptors in the brain that are responsible for pain management, blocking pain signals while also triggering the pleasure pathway. The pleasure pathway causes a “high” due to a flood of chemicals in the brain including dopamine.

Though the triggering of the pleasure pathway is a part of the pain management response, it is also the mechanism that causes an addiction or OUD. People begin to crave the high they experience from OxyContin, and they will require more and more of the drug in order to achieve it. The increasingly higher doses lead to physical addiction.

Together, physical and mental dependence creates an OxyContin addiction. 

Signs of OxyContin Withdrawal

Depending on how long the person has been taking OxyContin and the dose they are on when they stop taking the drug or significantly lower their dose, the signs of OxyContin withdrawal will vary in type and intensity. 

The most commonly reported signs of OxyContin withdrawal include the following:[3]

• Anxiety and agitation
• Sweating
• Tearing eyes
• Muscle and bone aches
• Inability to sleep or sit still
• Gastrointestinal issues, including diarrhea, cramping, nausea and vomiting

The FDA has reported that there is great harm to patients when they abruptly stop using opioid medications like OxyContin due to the extreme and intense nature of the associated withdrawal symptoms.[4] For this reason, just as it is recommended that patients only take the drug under the supervision of a doctor, it is also recommended that patients stop using the medication with the support of a medical team.

Getting Help for OxyContin Addiction

If you or someone you love is living with an OxyContin addiction, the next step forward should be connecting with the right treatment program. The most effective opioid addiction treatment options include the use of medications to mitigate the withdrawal symptoms associated with taking OxyContin long-term. 

Medications like Suboxone are a critical piece of the recovery puzzle. Suboxone contains buprenorphine, which binds to opioid receptors in place of OxyContin, and naloxone, which serves as a deterrent to misuse.[5]

At Bicycle Health, we offer a comprehensive Medication for Addiction Treatment (MAT) program that includes the use of Suboxone to ease the transition from active OxyContin misuse to recovery. If you would like to learn more about the program and find out whether or not it is a good fit for your situation, reach out to us here at Bicycle Health today.