What is Methadone Used to Treat & When to Consider Getting Treatment Help

Methadone is a synthetic opiate drug that produces long-acting effects. So what is methadone used to treat? Not surprisingly, its opiate-based chemical makeup makes for an effective pain reliever and also an effective opiate addiction treatment.

First synthesized in Germany in 1939, methadone was first marketed as a pain reliever within the United states in 1947. By the mid 1960s, methadone became the very first medication to be used in the treatment of opiate addiction.

These uses still exist today along with the inherent risks associated with prolonged methadone use and abuse. Knowing what signs to watch for can go a long way towards helping you avoid the more harmful effects of this drug.

For information on methadone abuse treatment options, call our helpline at 800-678-5931(Paid Advertiser) .

What is Methadone Used to Treat?

Pain Relief Agent

Abusing methadone to get high can lead to addiction and requires professional help.

When asked “what is methadone used for” a good number of people will only refer to its use as an opiate addiction treatment. Methadone’s use as a pain relief treatment is best known among people who take it for treatment purposes, as well as those who end up abusing it.

According to John Hopkins Magazine, opiate drugs in general offer the most effective means for treating pain symptoms of all kinds. Methadone is no different.

Commonly used to treat conditions involving moderate to severe pain symptoms, methadone works by disrupting nerve signal transmissions between the brain and body. It does this by slowing down chemical activities in the brain and central nervous system and essentially blocking or muffling pain sensations before they reach the brain.

Methadone’s classification as an opiate drug comes with a considerable risk for abuse and addiction when used as a pain relief agent.

Opiate Addiction

Considering methadone itself is an opiate drug, one would hardly expect one of the answers to “what is methadone used to treat” to be opiate addiction. As an opiate addiction treatment , methadone actually works really well at relieving the types of withdrawal and drug cravings effects that make long-term abstinence so difficult to come by, according to Western Journal of Medicine.

Since methadone acts as a long-acting opiate, it works especially well as a treatment for heroin addiction since heroin is a short-acting opiate drug.

How is Methadone Treatment Administered & Will It Help Me?

Methadone treatment programs provide a comprehensive approach to helping patients recover from opioid addictions.

When to Consider Getting Treatment Help

The fact that methadone treats pain-related conditions and addiction speaks to its versatility as a treatment medication, and also the resulting risks that come with abusing this drug. In effect, the risk for abuse remains regardless of whether its used to treat pain or addiction.

In both cases, signs of that a person needs treatment help typically take the form of:

• Poly-drug abuse
• Withdrawal episodes
• Depression
• Compulsive drug use

As with any opiate-based drug, ignoring the problem only allows time for an addiction to develop and grow more severe. Ultimately, the sooner you get needed treatment help the sooner you can turn your life around for the better.

We can help you find a treatment program that can help you overcome the challenges you face. Call our toll-free helpline at 800-678-5931(Paid Advertiser) to speak with one of our addiction counselors.