The most commonly prescribed pain relieving drugs which fall into the narcotic group have brand names which include Codral Forte, Panadeine Forte, Doloxene and Percodan. These all contain a mixture of non-narcotic and synthetic narcotic drugs and are potentially addictive if taken in excessive amounts or for prolonged periods of time.
Other prescription narootics include Endone and Palfium tablets and Proladone suppositories. Injectable narcotics include Morphine, Pethidine (meperidine), Omnopon and Fortral. The narcotic drugs work by binding onto special cells within the brain and the hind brain which in turn leads to a reduction of pain in the sufferer. Addiction and tolerance often follow their use in chronic pain as the receptor cells in the nervous system become occupied by the external narcotics. The body uses these in preference over its own natural pain-killers, the endorphins. The narcotic drugs also have other effects in the nervous system, including the suppression of normal breathing reflexes. Their use is often associated with rebound pain which occurs when the body requires its extra dose of pain-killer.
The narcotic drugs should be reserved for the treatment of severe acute pain and for the treatment of cancer pain where the problems of addiction seen in non-malignant pain do not occur.
They are best prescribed in limited quantities for brief periods of acute pain. In some Australian states the over-prescription of some of these drugs by some medical practitioners has lead to authorities requiring the doctor to obtain permits for the supply of these drugs.
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