Medication Types

Pain Killers Scrutinized after Shocking Death of Michael Jackson

cmaynard — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 11:55:00 -0700

July 1, 2009
by: Sylvia Marten

It’s been nearly a week since pop singer Michael Jackson’s sudden death from cardiac arrest, and questions still remain as to what led to his death.

According to various news reports, Jackson was addicted to the narcotic pain killer Demerol for more than 20 years and also received daily doses of another pain killer, Oxycontin. According to an unnamed senior law enforcement official in an ABC News report, Los Angeles police were told that Jackson did in fact receive a Demerol injection an hour before his death.

A lawyer for Jackson’s physician, Dr. Conrad Murray, has said that his client did not prescribe Jackson with any of these pain killers, but many medical experts think that Demerol and possibly other drugs played a role in the death.

Whether this is true or not, Jackson’s death provides a sad but absolutely necessary forum to talk about pain killer addiction.

While pain killers like Vicodin, OxyContin, Norco and Hydrocodone are typically prescribed to treat pain, what is often forgotten or not known with patients is that pain killers cause changes in the brain’s chemistry that are not under their control.

More specifically, the brain increases the number of receptors in response to the specific pain killer, and its nerve cells stop functioning. Since the body is receiving opiate pain killers, it stops producing endorphins (the body’s natural pain killers). Consequential degeneration of the nerve cells often auses a physical dependency for these opiates.

What is also not known by many patients is that taking pain killers over a long period of time may actually increase a person’s sensitivity to pain, possibly causing them to up their doses, become addicted and put their health in serious danger.

An overdose of pain killers can lead to respiratory arrest (when breathing slows and stops). Low blood oxygen may then cause the heart to quiver and not circulate blood, and lead to cardiac arrest (when the heart stops circulating blood).

Pain killer addiction is a very real problem in the United States. It has been estimated that more than 4.7 million Americans (roughly 2% of the U.S. population) are dependent on prescription pain killers.

Learn more about pain killer addiction and treatment in the following resources:

[url:808,type=|node|,content=|Pain Medications|]
[url:6639,type=|node|,content=|How Pain Killers Sometimes Increase Chronic Pain|]
[url:1924,type=|node|,content=|Pain Killer Addiction Treatment|].

In related news, Jackson’s death comes at a time when the European Medicines Agency (EMEA) wants a specific pain killer off the market and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is considering major changes to the use of one pain reliever.

The EMEA has said that the pain killer dextropropoxyphene (known as propoxyphene in the United States) should be withdrawn from the European market because a “significant” number of patients have allegedly been overdosing and dying from it (although the EMEA did not provide a specific number of casualties, according to a Wall Street Journal story).

Propoxyphene (e.g. Darvocet) has been used in the United States to treat mild to moderate pain since the late 1950s. It is marketed today by many drug manufacturers, and the FDA is reportedly considering whether to withdraw this pain killer.

For back pain patients who use or are considering taking a pain medication, especially medications with addiction potential, it is essential to understand and carefully monitor the use of that medicine. Do the upfront research to understand the medication options for your particular type of back or neck pain, and work closely with your medical professional to watch for side effects and risks of dependency. Some medicines are safe for short term use, but become potential dangers when used longer than indicated or in combination with other drugs.

Update: The FDA announced on July 8 that it would not withdraw Darvocet, Darvon and other pain killers with propoxyphene from the market despite calls from one consumer group to remove them. The FDA added that it would require a boxed warning of propoxyphene overdose risks and force manufacturers to study the fatality rates from overdoses.

NSAIDs: Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs

spine-health — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 08:42:12 -0800

More Pain Medication Info

Back/Neck Pain Medication

Muscle Relaxants

NSAIDs

Narcotic Pain Medication

Pain Killer Addition

Types of NSAIDs

Greg — Mon, 05 May 2008 11:55:00 -0700

The following provides a more comprehensive list of different types of NSAIDs. Please see Most Common Types of NSAIDs for a more in-depth review of the common NSAIDs.

Types of NSAIDs

Generic name

Brand name(s)

Salicylic acids

Muscle Relaxants

spine-health — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 08:42:12 -0800

More Pain Medication Info

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Oral Steroids

spine-health — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 08:42:12 -0800

Oral steroids, a non-narcotic type of prescription medication, are very powerful anti-inflammatory medications that are sometimes an effective treatment for low back pain. Like narcotics agents, oral steroids are intended for use for short periods of time (one to two weeks). Oral steroids come in many forms, but are usually ordered as a Medrol Dose Pack in which patients starts with a high dose for initial low back pain relief and then taper down to a lower dose over five or six days.
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Acetaminophen

spine-health — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 08:42:12 -0800

Acetaminophen is probably the single most effective non-prescription medication for lower back pain and has the fewest side affects. Tylenol is an example of a well-known medication that has acetaminophen as its active ingredient.
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Medications for Back Pain and Neck Pain

spine-health — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 08:42:12 -0800

There are multiple over-the-counter (non-prescription) and prescription medications that can be helpful in relieving pain and addressing related symptoms while an episode of low back pain is getting better. Careful attention to pain management is a critical component of a patient’s recovery, as acute or chronic low back pain can lead to depression, difficulty sleeping, and difficulty exercising and stretching, all of which in turn can exacerbate and prolong a painful back condition.
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Ultram Pain Reliever

spine-health — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 08:42:12 -0800

More Pain Medication Info

Back/Neck Pain Medication

Muscle Relaxants

NSAIDs

Narcotic Pain Medication

Pain Killer Addition
read more

Antidepressants: Definitive Guide

spine-health — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 08:42:12 -0800

Antidepressant drugs for treatment of depression as well as other disorders that may occur alone or in combination with depression, such as chronic pain, sleep disorders, or anxiety disorders.

The class of drugs known as antidepressants is used primarily to treat clinical depression (also called major depression).

See the following for causes, symptoms, diagnosis and treatment of depression:
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