Oxycontin abuse signs may quite similar to any prescription drug overdose signs and symptoms. Oxycontin is a powerful opiate that is prescribed to relieve pain due to post surgery, physical rehabilitation and for instances of moderate to severe pain. This drug is a prescription pain medication commonly prescribed by doctors and rehabilitation therapists because of its effectiveness and its ability to be timed- released within a period of twelve hours.
Some patients however develop a feeling of a sense of euphoria while taking Oxycontin and this develops into abuse of this drug. Oxycontin abuse signs at the early stages are the frequency of taking the prescribed medication. Instead of taking it after 12 hours, patients often take it after 4 hours or even less just to get the particular high. Other Oxycontin abuse signs at this early state are a development of a tolerance for the drug. Pain is somehow unrelieved even when taken before the desired time.
Many patients who develop Oxycontin abuse signs have a tendency to have inappropriate behavior just to get the felling of high they need. If their prescription runs out, it is likely they will go out doctor shopping or forging prescriptions just to be able to purchase Oxycontin. Oxycontin abuse signs are evident especially when the drug is withheld; patients may become irritable, sleepless, moody and may even be very abusive when he is not able to take this prescription medication. They may have involuntary shaking, headaches and restlessness as well. It is important in this phase to intervene with the patient’s behavior in order to stop Oxycontin abuse signs completely.
If these Oxycontin abuse signs are not dealt with accordingly, the patient may resort to stealing and other reckless behaviors. Thus it is important to start intervention on the first Oxycontin abuse sign. The entire family and the patient’s closest friends may start the intervention process by making him feel secure and loved in spite of his abusive behavior. Intervention must be done in the close supervision of medical professionals since medical treatment along with psychological care is needed to stop Oxycontin abuse signs. The length of treatment may depend on the time the patient is hooked on Oxycontin and also it is essential to consider the ideal pain treatment if the patient is recovering from surgery or from physical rehabilitation.
Preventing Oxycontin abuse must be the goal of every medical personnel and since this is often the highlight of many post surgical care, alternative approaches to pain has been considered. Instead of prescribing pain medications that will likely cause abuse, many surgeons and rehabilitation experts now advice treatments such as massage therapy, acupuncture, hypnosis, inversion and various herbal remedies. These wonderful therapies have been time tested and are effective in treating pain of varying degrees and intensity.
If Oxycontin prescription is really the only option, it is important for post surgery follow up and psychological treatment as a part of post surgery and rehabilitation. Oxycontin abuse signs must be closely monitored along with other side effects of surgery.
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