There is a good chance that you’re going to be prescribed pain medication at some point. You might’ve injured your back at work. Alternatively, you could’ve experienced a devastating fall in your shower. Accidents happen when you least expect them. Depending on the severity of the injury, you might have to take prescription painkillers daily or multiple times each day. If so, it is pertinent to make sure that you’re using these medications safely. Within this guide, you’ll discover beneficial tips to use painkillers safely.
Don’t Mix Drugs
Although you’ve been prescribed one drug, you might have others at home. If you aren’t getting relief, you may contemplate mixing the medications or switching. Remember that you may end up ingesting multiple painkillers at once. Unfortunately, this would not be a good idea. It would increase the risk that you’re going to experience severe side effects. Plus, you have to remember that you can easily overdose on drugs. Certain drugs will cause a negative reaction when they’re mixed.
Even if you have multiple drugs at home, you should never mix them. Even over-the-counter medications can cause problems when mixed with prescription pain relievers.
Don’t Tamper With Them
Some people have started snorting pills. Once they’ve done this, they’re going to be more likely to experience issues. They’ll be at a higher risk of getting addicted to the medications. Plus, snorting pills can destroy your nasal cavity. Suffice to say, you should never use painkillers using this method. Never crush or chew them. The risks are too high. Listen to your doctor and take the medication as recommended. Typically, you should swallow them using water before you eat.
Know What You’re Using
Before doing anything else, you need to make sure that you know what you’re using. If you’re going to buy codeine online, be sure to use reputable sources. Also, research the medication and talk to your primary physician. Find out how the medication is going to impact you. Learn as much as you can about the drug and make sure you’re using a real product. Otherwise, you might take something that could hurt you.
Follow Doctor Recommendations
One of the biggest risks of opioids and other painkillers is addiction. This problem is so common that statistics reveal around 9.7 million people are abusers of painkillers. From this number, 9.3 million are addicted to opioids while 5.9 million people are addicted to sedatives. Once you are addicted to prescription pain medicine, your only hope is rehab. Even rehab has reportedly been ineffective for hardcore opioid abusers.
To minimize your risk of painkiller addiction, the medical community recommends following the prescriber’s recommendations. Heeding these recommendations will lower your addiction risks.
Never Alter Dosage
Even when your pain has succumbed to the maximum threshold, opioid users should never alter the prescribed dosage. This is a major mistake that will eventually result in addiction, respiratory suppression, accidental overdose, or even death.
If you believe the dose needs to be increased to use painkillers safely, speak with your primary care or pain management doctor.
