Codeine

What is Codeine?

Codeine is an opioid analgesic that is used to treat mild to moderate pain. It can be particularly helpful when common painkillers have not provided sufficient pain relief. The effects of this medication can be felt within one hour of administration and last between four to six hours. During this time, your tolerance to pain increases and discomfort decreases, even though the source of the pain may still be present.

How Does Codeine Work?

It acts on certain areas in the central nervous system called opioid receptors. As a result, the pain you feel and your reaction to the pain decreases. It is safe to take this medication with common pain relievers like aspirin, paracetamol and ibuprofen to increase its effects.

This medication relieves discomfort by changing the way the central nervous system (CNS) reacts to pain. It achieves this effect by matching the function of endorphins which are chemicals in the CNS that occur naturally. They help reduce pain and this painkiller binds to the same receptors as endorphins. This obstructs the communication of pain messages that are conveyed by nerves to the brain. Consequently, less pain is experienced so you are more likely to resume daily activities and maintain a positive mood.

What is Codeine Used for?

This medication is often used for headache, osteoarthritis and lower back pain. These common painkillers are also used to relieve a dry and painful cough. Coughing is an automatic reaction to irritants in the airways and is useful for removing mucous from the throat and lungs. However, a nonproductive or dry cough does not produce mucous and this can become painful. This painkiller decreases the nerve signals that are transmitted from the cough centre in the brain to the muscles that cause you to cough. Consequently, it suppresses the cough reflex and this gives the membrane in your throat and lungs a chance to heal.

How to Use Codeine Safely

How long and how frequently you take this medication depends on your age, liver and kidney function as well as the condition being treated. This medication should be taken with some water, with or without food. Do not take codeine phosphate 30 mg with alcohol. If you take this medication on a regular basis and forget to take a tablet, do not take two doses at the same time to make up for it.

Some Benefits of Codeine

This medication is beneficial in the treatment of pain caused by various conditions such as postoperative pain. Postoperative pain is pain that happens after surgery or a dental procedure. Managing pain after surgery is important as it can prevent chronic or long-term postoperative pain which happens in about 10% of patients. Codeine phosphate can also help ease discomfort that happens after a dental procedure such as surgery or a tooth extraction.

A tension headache can be described as pain that feels like a heavy weight is applying pressure to the head. If you have a tension headache, your neck and shoulders may also ache. Tension headaches can be episodic in which case they usually last from 30 minutes to 7 days. However, episodic tension headaches can become continuous in which case they are considered chronic. If your headaches happen more than 15 days a month and for at least 3 months, you may have chronic tension headache. Codeine 30 mg tablets can, however, be used to ease the pain associated with episodic and chronic tension headaches.

This medication is also effective in the treatment of migraine headaches. Migraines are a severe and painful type of headache that often reoccurs. The pain is usually on either side of the head and can be described as intensive. Associated symptoms include loss of appetite, sensitivity to light and sound, as well as nausea. The majority of migraines last about four hours, however, some can last days. Fortunately, codeine is effective at treating migraines, particularly if it is used at the first sign of a migraine attack. This allows time for the medication to absorb into the bloodstream.

Another condition that codeine can treat is pain caused by osteoarthritis which is characterised by deterioration of the joints in the body. It is the most common type of arthritis and develops over the course of time. Patients with this condition usually have joint pain that is typically the result of damage to cartilage. Other common symptoms include stiffness, swelling and loss of flexibility in joints. Osteoarthritis can affect any joint, however, it most frequently occurs in the joints of the hips, knees and hands. Thankfully, the right codeine phosphate dosage along with healthy lifestyle choices can help manage osteoarthritis.

About 80% of adults experience back pain and it is usually caused by an injury to a muscle or ligament. Back pain can occur in any portion of your back; however, it most frequently occurs in the lower back. The reason for this is that much of your body weight is supported by your lower back. The severity of lower back pain can range from being a dull, continuous pain to a sudden, disabling pain. Treatment includes pain relievers like codeine tablets as well as back exercises and stretches.

In addition, codeine is effective in the treatment of diarrhoea. It works by delaying muscular contractions in the intestine. It achieves this effect by binding to opioid receptors that line the walls of the intestines. Diarrhoea happens when the lining of the intestine is not able to absorb fluid or excrete it. Codeine gives the intestines more time for water and electrolytes to be absorbed from the stomach contents back into the body.

Is Codeine Safe for Everyone?

This medication should not be used by patients with the following pre-existing conditions:

• A serious liver problem
• Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
• An allergy to codeine

Patients with the following conditions may need to practice extra caution and take a lower dose:

• Breathing problems like asthma
• Inflammatory bowel disease
• Gallbladder disease or gall stones

Codeine Side Effects

This medication may cause side effects, however, not every patient experiences them. The most common side effects include the following:

• Nausea - if you feel nauseous, try sipping water or taking this medication with or after a meal. This side effect tends to wear off over the course of treatment.
• Drowsiness - this side effect also tends to diminish on its own within a few days, as your body gets used to the medication.
• Dizziness - if you feel dizzy, make sure you get up slowly from a sitting position.

Codeine Dosage Guide

The codeine phosphate dosage should be adjusted according to the severity of your pain. Follow these dosage guidelines for optimal results:

• To treat pain, the usual dose for adults is one or two 30mg tablets which can be taken every 4 to 6 hours if necessary.
• Elderly people and patients with liver or kidney problems usually take half the adult dose.
• To treat a dry cough, the usual dose for adults is 15-30 mg which can be taken three or four times per day.
• To treat diarrhoea, the usual dose for adults is 15-60 mg which can be taken every four to six hours.

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