What is the Strongest Pain Medication?
There are many types of pain medication that you can take. Which one is the strongest of all the pain medications?
Out of all of the different kinds of pain medications on the market, Fentanyl takes the gold medal for the strongest and most dangerous opioid pain medication. It is anywhere from 50 to 100 times more potent than the street drug heroin. It is known as a synthetic opioid, meaning it is not naturally derived from the opium poppy plant like other opioid pain medications. It is fully manufactured. It is often prescribed to treat severe pain after major surgery. Unfortunately, it has also become a very popular and equally dangerous street drug for abuse. This is due to its low cost and exceptionally high potency. Many drug dealers will very often mix fentanyl in with heroin to increase the potency and stretch out their heroin supply. This also makes it that much more fatal. 
How Fentanyl Affects Your Brain?
Much like morphine, heroin, and most other opioid pain medications, fentanyl works on the brain and the body’s opioid receptors. These receptors are found throughout the body and in the brain and control how you feel pain and emotions. When the opioids attach to these receptors, it diminishes your ability to feel pain. When you continually take fentanyl, the brain will adapt itself to the drug, causing it to lose sensitivity and making it difficult for you to get feelings of pleasure from anything else other than the drug. Fentanyl causes many side effects when it is taken, and it can be quite severe and scary. They can include drowsiness, nausea, confusion, extreme sedation, difficulty breathing, and even unconsciousness.
Can Fentanyl Abuse Lead to Addiction?
Unfortunately yes, fentanyl is very addictive due to its strength and potency. Addiction can happen in one of two ways. The first is by prescription from a doctor for a legitimate reason. All too often, the person will end up hooked on fentanyl. The other way is by buying it illegally on the street with the sole purpose of getting high. Fentanyl addiction can happen even after just one use. When someone becomes addicted to fentanyl, they will often continue using it even if they want to stop or despite any harmful consequences.
Can You Overdose on Fentanyl?
A fentanyl overdose is very common because it is the strongest pain medication. An overdose happens when you have too much fentanyl in your system at once; then, your body can handle it. This can cause serious and life-threatening symptoms. When an overdose occurs, it causes severe respiratory depression and can cause your breathing even to stop because it is so depressed. This will decrease the amount of oxygen that makes it to the brain leading to coma, permanent brain damage, and death.
What to Do in the Event Of an Overdose?
However, a fentanyl overdose can be treated if it is noticed in time and given right away. Naloxone is an FDA-approved medication that is designed to treat opioid overdoses, including fentanyl. It works to reverse an overdose by quickly binding to the opioid receptors and blocks any effects of the other opioid drugs in your system. Since fentanyl is the strongest opioid, multiple doses of naloxone likely need to be administered. In addition, since fentanyl is so powerful, it is vital that you also call 911 if you have suspected that someone is overdosing so that the person can receive medical attention as soon as possible.
Overcome Fentanyl Abuse at Evoke Waltham
If you or someone you love are suffering from a fentanyl addiction, it is important to know that there is help for you out there. Don’t let your addiction go untreated because it could cost you your life. Today is the best day to start your new life and journey, and Evoke Waltham Center can help you do it.
