Uses

Both Methadone and Suboxone are opioids, but while Methadone is used to treat both chronic pain and opioid addiction, Suboxone is used only to treat opioid dependence. 

Drug Classification

Both Methadone and Suboxone are considered to be controlled substances. While Methadone is a Schedule II controlled substance, Suboxone is a Schedule III controlled substance. This means that both come with the risk of withdrawal as well as a risk of misuse. By definition, Schedule II drugs have a higher potential for addiction than Schedule III drugs. 

Names

Methadone is actually the generic name for a drug that is also available under the brand names of Dolophine, Methadone HCl Intensol and Methadose. Suboxone, on the other hand, is a brand name for the generic medication known as buprenorphine-naloxone. Other brand names for this drug incude Bunavail and Zubsolv.

Available Forms

Methadone is available in a variety of different forms. These include oral tablet, oral solution, oral concentrate, injectable solution and oral dispersible tablet, which means it has to be dissolved in a liquid before it can be taken. 

The brand name medication known as Suboxone comes in an oral film. This film can be dissolved under the tongue or placed between the cheek and gums in order to dissolve. Generic versions of the drug are available as both an oral film and as a sublingual tablet.

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Since it is a Schedule III prescription drug, doctors can only prescribe Suboxone after having received special training and certification through the U.S. federal government. This is partially due to the fact that there is potential for the drug to be abused and it does have some potential side effects. Some of these include:

• Abdominal Cramps
• Anxiety
• Body Aches
• Burning Tongue
• Constipation
• Depression
• Fatigue
• Headache
• Insomnia
• Mouth Redness
• Nausea
• Rapid Heart Rate
• Sweating
• Weakness

Some of the more serious side effects associated with the drug include:

• Allergic Reaction
• Breathing Problems
• Coma
• Hormone Problems
• Liver Damage

While the risk of abuse and dependence are minimal, it is still a concern that is associated with the use of Suboxone as a medical treatment. Overdose is possible with the drug, particularly if it is used along with other opioids or with alcohol, benzodiazepines such a Valium and Xanax or other drugs. Taking high doses of Suboxone can also lead to severe breathing problems, coma and even death. 

Liver damage is another potential side effect of Suboxone use. Symptoms of liver damage include stomach pain, fatigue and yellowing of the skin or the whites of the eyes. By working closely with the medical professionals at Advanced Spine and Rehab, however, you will minimize the risks as you move confidently down the road to recovery.

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What is Buprenorphine?

Buprenorphine is a partial opioid agonist. This means it activates the brain in the same was as opioids. By activating the reward receptors in a similar manner, buprenorphine helps to keep withdrawal symptoms at a minimum as you or your loved one undergoes treatment. It should be noted, however, that buprenorphine does not activate these receptors as strongly as a full opioid agonist such as heroin. Rather, it is a duller and diminished response. 

What is Naloxone?

Naloxone is an opioid antagonist. This means it blocks the receptors in your brain that respond to opioids. This makes it a useful drug for reversing the effects of opioid abuse. When administered by itself, however, naloxone can result in severe withdrawal symptoms. This is why it is used in combination with buprenorphine with suboxone. In this way, suboxone can satisfy the brain’s opioid receptors while also working toward helping them to heal. 

While suboxone can be an important part of an opioid addiction treatment program, it is not a “cure all” to be used by itself. At Advanced Spine & Rehab, we provide you with a holistic treatment program that will help you toward recovery. To learn more about our opioid addiction recovery program, contact us today!

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With so many deaths attributed to opioid abuse, it is only natural to wonder what causes this addiction. Unfortunately, there is not one simple “cause” that can be avoided in order to prevent abuse of opioids. Rather, opioid addiction is a complex issue that results from a combination of genetic, lifestyle and environmental factors. Those genes thought to be involved with opioid addiction are found in the endogenous opioid system, which is the body’s system for regulating pain and reward. It involves those opioid substances that occur naturally in the body, but opioid medications and heroin are able to exert their effects on these same receptors. Current research indicates that differences in the structure of these receptors influence how the body responds to opioids. 

Of course, understanding how addiction occurs is only one component toward recovery. At Advanced Spine and Rehab, we utilize Suboxone along with other behavioral methods to help treat opioid addiction in a multi-faceted way. Contact us today to learn more!

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One common myth about suboxone is that you aren’t really in recovery if you are using the medication. The reality is that you do not have to be completely free of medication in order to be in recovery. Rather, when viewing addiction as a chronic condition, using suboxone to aid in your recovery is similar to using insulin to address diabetes.  Of course, the goal is to one day no longer need suboxone, but using the medication to aid in your recovery is just one step along the path to being free of your addiction.

Another myth is that people frequently abuse suboxone. While it is possible to abuse the medication, suboxone is different from other opiates in that it is only a “partial” agonist of the main opiate receptor. In other words, it causes less euphoria than other opiates. Therefore, addiction to suboxone is quite uncommon, though some may use it in ways other than prescribed in their effort to manage their withdrawal symptoms from other opiates. 

Along these same lines, another common myth is that it is as easy to overdose on suboxone as it is to overdose on other opiates. In truth, it is more difficult to overdose on suboxone because of it being only a partial agonist of the main opiate receptor. This creates a built-in “ceiling” that limits how much the opioid receptors can be activated by suboxone. 

To learn more about suboxone and how it may help you or a loved one with opiate addiction, contact Advance Spine & Rehab today!

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One way to prevent opioid addiction is to address issues surrounding overprescribing pain medications. Furthermore, steps can be taken to further help reduce the flow of illegal opioids. Still, while these are obvious steps to take, a significant amount of research has also found that taking steps to reduce a risk factors in individuals is the key to preventing opioid abuse. This includes addressing risk factors through early childhood intervention, such as issues regarding aggression, poor self-regulation and insecure attachment to parents.

Family and school prevention interventions are also essential during the teen years. Risk factors associated with later drug use include a lack of parental supervision, exposure to drugs at either home or school and stresses associated with poverty, neglect and/or abuse. By taking steps to address these risk factors in the earlier stages of life, the likelihood of becoming addicted later declines. 

Since these outside factors such as these are known to be a contributor to addiction to opioids and other drugs, Advanced Spine & Rehab takes a holistic approach. Through our approach, we work on addressing the factors that put you at risk for drug addiction while also addressing the physical side of addiction with the help of suboxone. Contact us today to learn more.

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If you are utilizing pain medication to help you cope with your chronic pain, it is important to know how to tell the difference between appropriate use and potential abuse of the medication. To that end, here are some signs that you may be becoming addicted to your pain medication:

• You frequently think about the medication, the next time you can take it and whether or not you have a large enough supply. 
• You take larger doses than what was prescribed or you take the medication more frequently than prescribed, possibly even justifying it by telling yourself the doctor does not understand your level of pain or convincing yourself that you can take it “as needed”.
• You are going from one doctor to another in an effort to get more of the same medication.
• You are dishonest with your doctor in order to get more of the medication (i.e. claiming to have lost your medication and, therefore, being in need of an early refill).
• You purchase additional medication from alternative sources, such as buying medication on the Internet, taking medication from sick friends and relatives, buying medication from other people, stealing prescription pads to write your own prescription or buying drugs on the street.
• You intentionally hurt yourself so you can go to the emergency room and get a new prescription. 

If you recognize any of these signs in yourself, it may be time to seek treatment. Contact us at Advanced Spine & Rehab to learn more about our suboxone-based treatment program.

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Given the sharp increase in deaths associated with opioids, the opioid crisis was declared a nationwide Public Health Emergency on October 27, 2017. In addition, the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5^th edition listed Opioid Use Disorder among its recognized mental illnesses. To be diagnosed with an Opioid Use Disorder, a person must display two of the symptoms included on a long list of recognized symptoms within a 12-month period. Some of these symptoms include:

• Taking more drugs over a longer period of time than intended
• Spending a great deal of time obtaining or using opioids
• Having a strong desire to use opioids
• Continuing to use opioids despite having social and interpersonal problems related to their use
• Continuing to use opioids despite ongoing physical or psychological problems related to their use
• Giving up or reducing other activities due to opioid use

If you recognize any of these symptoms in yourself or someone you love, contact Advanced Spine and Rehab today to learn more about our suboxone program. We will be happy to discuss the program with you to help you determine if it might be the right treatment program for you.

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Research has shown that using contingency management principles as part of a treatment program can be effective for many patients. Not only can these principles help to promote abstinence, but they can also help to increase treatment retention.

Voucher-Based Reinforcement is one technique that can be used when implementing behavioral strategies. With this system, the patient receives a voucher for every drug-free urine sample provided. The voucher can then be used for various goods and services, such as food or movie passes. While the value of the voucher starts off low, the value may be increased as the number of consecutive drug-free urine samples increases. 

A similar technique involves using Prize Incentives. This method is similar to the voucher system, but the patient receives opportunities to win a prize with each clean urine sample. The patient may also receive opportunities to draw for a prize for each counseling session attended or for reaching other goals. At Advanced Spine & Rehab, we believe in taking a holistic approach along with using suboxone treatments to help with opioid addiction. Contact us today to learn more about how we can help you or your loved one with addiction. 

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Of course, there are many different types of treatment options available to explore for addiction.

As you are searching for the one that is right for you, there are several principles of an effective treatment program that you should keep in mind. For example, it is important to remember that no single treatment is right for everyone. In addition, the treatment plan you select should address all of your needs and not just your drug use. This is because addiction is a complex disease that affects brain function as well as behavior. For this reason, the most effective treatment plans typically include a combination of medications and behavioral therapies.

At Advanced Spine & Rehab, we will address more than just the physical aspect of your addiction. While suboxone will help with this component, we will also help to address any other issues that may be contributing to your addiction. In addition, we will continually review and modify your treatment plan as we work closely with a group of professionals to ensure the proper treatment plan is put in place to meet your changing needs. Contact us today to learn more!

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