Oxycontin

For severe back pain or postoperative conditions, doctors often prescribe Oxycontin or a similar drug. Oxycontin is one brand name for the generic drug oxycodone, which is closely related to morphine. When combined with acetaminophen or aspirin, it may be sold as Roxicet or Percodan. Due to addictive properties and side effects, oxycodone is intended for sustained but finite periods of pain relief, not for ongoing use.

What this means to the back-pain sufferer is that when oxycodone is prescribed, an effort must be made to overcome the source of pain, whether through physical therapy or surgery. Time-released Oxycontin, for example, helps patients break the cycle of pain, so they can regain lost mobility and resume exercising the affected area in order to strengthen it. Oxycontin's benefits are its continual analgesic activity and the resultant effect on the pain centers of the brain.

Use Oxycontin, Endocet or Combunox Correctly

Breaking the cycle of pain helps patients to sleep and rest, encouraging the body to heal. Oxycontin serves this purpose in some cases of osteoarthritis, cancer and severe muscle strain. It may be prescribed after spinal surgery, when the area is tender and tissue is regenerating. To determine which oxycodone type to prescribe, doctors examine patients' health histories and current medications.

Oxycontin also helps to get patients moving sooner after surgery, which aids in recovery. Physicians at the Bonati Institute may prescribe the drug following arthroscopic spinal surgery. In combination with advanced arthroscopic techniques, oxycodone allows many spinal surgeries to take place as highly successful outpatient procedures.