What To Know About Suboxone & Opioid Addiction
Do you or a loved one have an issue with opioid addiction but do not know where to begin with treatment options? Dr. Chester Miltenberger of Vanguard Medical Care, located in Lakeland, FL, has been treating patients in Florida for over 35 years and is a pioneer in using Suboxone to treat individuals with opioid addiction successfully.
What Is An Opioid Addiction?
Opioids are a class of drugs that doctors use to treat short and long-term pain. Fentanyl, Morphine, Oxycodone, and Hydrocodone are potent drugs that mimic the natural pain-relieving properties of the poppy plant and operate in your body by activating the opioid receptors that block pain signals between the brain and nervous system.
Doctors prescribe opioids for acute pain, such as surgery, and chronic pain conditions, such as back injury, and are very effective in moderating pain. Your body can build a resistance to the drug, causing you to need an increase in the drug to produce the same pain-relieving results.
There are side effects to taking opioids for any length of time, and they are listed below.
- Constipation - opioids slow digestion and can cause fecal backup in the intestines.
- Vomiting
- Nausea - medications to combat this are usually prescribed at the same time as opioids to prevent vomiting.
- Euphoria - a pain-free, happy feeling that can accompany the taking of opioids.
- Sleepiness
- Slowed breathing - the relaxed feeling that opioids provide can cause a dangerous condition called Hypoxia, which slows breathing and decreases oxygen in the blood.
Many addictions begin as a legitimate pain-relief situation. When individuals can no longer obtain prescription opioids legally, they may turn to street drugs to achieve the same euphoric feeling as before.
The Use Of Suboxone
According to Dr. Miltenberger of Vanguard Medical Care, located in Lakeland, FL, Suboxone can bind to the same opioid receptors, causing a "blunting" effect. This helps block cravings and allows you to return to a normal lifestyle. This medication is ongoing, like insulin for diabetes.
Suboxone is a drug that must be administered by a healthcare professional. Like Dr. Miltenberger, any healthcare professional who administers this drug needs to undergo special certification and acquire a special license to do so.
There is currently a great need for healthcare professionals to get the certifications for administering Suboxone, and the U.S. Government has made it simpler to achieve certification.
Schedule Your Visit Today
Healthcare professionals have proven Suboxone to save many thousands of lives from opioid addiction. Call Dr. Miltenberger of Vanguard Medical Care at (863) 686-3633, Lakeland, FL. Our doctor is awaiting your scheduled visit today to help you on the road to your successful recovery.
