March 19, 2024

Codeine Rehab

Does Codeine Withdrawal Treatment Hurt?

Codeine withdrawal treatment, though challenging and even potentially uncomfortable in many ways is a necessary first step toward recovery from codeine addiction. Enduring the pain of opiate withdrawal without relapsing and giving in to the temptation to use drugs may pose serious challenges to the user but is generally not dangerous. In a short period of time, most of the symptoms of codeine withdrawal that the user is experiencing will gradually dissipate and the pain, discomfort or emotional distress that comes with this process will become a thing of the past.

Painful Symptoms of Withdrawal

Not all symptoms of opiate withdrawal are painful, but to some people who experience withdrawal from codeine, the symptoms can be not only uncomfortable but downright excruciating. According to Healthline, users may experience the following painful symptoms during codeine withdrawal:

codeine addiction recovery

Treatment for codeine withdrawal can help you go through withdrawal more comfortably so that you can get on the road to recovery.

  • Muscle tension and aches
  • Headaches
  • Abdominal pain and cramping
  • Bone pain
  • Lower back pain

Does Treatment Hurt?

Opiate withdrawal treatment is generally about keeping the patient comfortable during the challenging and often painful process of withdrawal. Codeine withdrawal treatment, much like treatment for other forms of opiate withdrawal, often includes an array of medications that help to minimize the symptoms of withdrawal while easing pain and discomfort. The most commonly used medications include:

  • Tylenol or acetaminophen
  • Aspirin
  • NSAIDS or anti-inflammatory drugs such as ibuprofen
  • Loperamide
  • Clonidine
  • Buprenorphine
  • Naloxone
  • Suboxone
  • Methadone
  • Subutex
  • Naltrexone

Each of these medications works in various ways either to eliminate withdrawal symptoms, to promote rapid detoxification, to relieve pain, or to alleviate other symptoms of codeine withdrawal during treatment.

How Long will Treatment Take?

As a long term prognosis, codeine withdrawal is not life-threatening and is generally a short term problem as long as the user does not resort back to previous habits of drug use. Each case of addiction is different and therefor the total amount of time that it takes for a user to completely detox and overcome codeine withdrawal will vary. For most, codeine withdrawal treatment will only take a week or two but this amount of time could be increased if there are other drug problems, health problems or if relapse occurs during the treatment process.

Seeking help for opiate withdrawal is vital to ensure that relapse is not on the forefront of the situation. Many people who don’t get proper treatment will find that they fall victim to relapse over and over again as a result of the lack of treatment, medication and support necessary to facilitate a safe and effective recovery. Unfortunately, relapse further increases the risk of overdose and it also leads to heightened withdrawal symptoms with each sequence which can make the process of recovery even more challenging than it once was.