Though in most cases headaches and sore muscles can be treated with aspirin, some pains do require a stronger medication, and that’s when drugs like Oxycodone and Oxycontin kick in. While the two are often used interchangeably, the two are different in the types of effects they produce in the body.
Oxycontin is, in fact, derived from Oxycodone, which is derived from a natural opium-based substance called thebaine. While both the drugs are used in the treatment of moderate to severe pain, Oxycodone is usually prescribed for physical pains such as after surgery or injury and Oxycontin is only used on patients who are in the last stages of chronic diseases.
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The difference between Oxycodone and Oxycontin also lies in the fact that while the former is available as an immediate-release oral tablet, immediate-release oral capsule and immediate-release oral solution, the latter is only available in the form of an extended-release tablet. Also, it is important to note that since Oxycodone is prescribed in the case of a physical ailment, it is only used for short-term treatment which generally lasts a few days. Since Oxycontin is prescribed to people suffering from chronic diseases, it is mostly used in long-term treatments.
Oxycodone and Oxycotine also differ in their cost and insurance coverage. The former are generic drugs that are easily available and usually cost less than the latter; insurers also prefer generic Oxycodone over Oxycontin. If your doctor is prescribing you a strong pain reliever, it would be better to get in touch with your insurer and ask which one does it cover.
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Both Oxycodone and Oxycontin have very similar side effects as the active ingredient they contain is the same. The most common side effects of the two pain killers are a headache, weakness, vomiting, dizziness, drowsiness, insomnia, constipation, dry mouth, itchiness and frequent changes in mood. Among the lesser common side effects of these drugs are breathing problems, confusion, light headedness, trouble in urinating, fatigue, and a number of allergic reactions, such as hives, itching, rashes, and swelling on tongue and lips. If you are suffering from any of these, do not waste time in getting in touch with a physician.
It is important to note that both Oxycodone and Oxycontin are Schedule II opiate narcotics, which means that the potential for addiction and abuse is very high. If you or someone you love has been prescribed any of these drugs, make sure that these are consumed as per doctor’s prescription and do not turn into addiction.
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OxyContin is a brand-name version of the extended-release form of oxycodone. They are different versions of the same drug. OxyContin and immediate-release oxycodone belong to a drug class called opioids. A class of drugs is a group of medications that work in a similar way and are often used to treat similar conditions. Immediate-release oxycodone and OxyContin both bind to receptors in your brain and spinal cord. When they do this, they block pain signals and stop pain.
There are different kinds of pain and these affect people in their own ways. Therefore, no single medicine can be used to deal with all sorts of pain, as one particular medicine which works for one type of pain may not work for another kind. That is why a wide range of painkillers are available in the market. Talking about painkillers, the two names that quickly come to mind are oxycodone and oxycontin. Most people consider the two to be the same; however, there is a huge difference between oxycodone and oxycontin in the way these actually work and what they are.
Oxycodone is an opiate which is available in as a generic drug. It is typically combined with Tylenol or ibuprofen in different formulations in drugs like Percodan, Percocet and Tylox. Now, getting to oxycontin, while oxycodone is a chemical, oxycontin is a brand name, a drug or a medicine which contains oxycodone. Though oxycodone and oxycontin have become synonymous in the world of medicine since the former is an active ingredient in the latter, it is better to use the brand name while purchasing medicine as oxycodone is also an active ingredient in many other medicines. The stronger version of oxycontin, contains only one ingredient, oxycodone.
Moderate to severe pain can be treated by administering oxycontin and the drug is typically used in case of recovery from surgery or an injury. It is mostly prescribed when someone is suffering from long-lasting pain like when they are in the later stages of a terminal disease. Now talking about the lesser of the two evils, you can say it is oxycodone, since it is an opiate which is combined with other chemicals in some drugs to limit its effects, whereas oxycontin is an immediate-release oxycodone-based drug, the only one available in the market. It has ingredients that make oxycodone even more potent or stronger than it is in other drugs. I wish that now you are clear on the difference between oxycodone and oxycontin.