Norco Addiction, Abuse, And Treatment
Norco is a potent hydrocodone-based painkiller used to treat moderate to severe pain. While it carries a high potential for abuse, many addiction treatment options are available.
Author Kristen Fuller, MD
What Is Norco?
Norco is a prescription painkiller containing hydrocodone and acetaminophen (the active ingredient in Tylenol). Hydrocodone is a potent opioid that relieves moderate to severe pain, and acetaminophen is a less potent painkiller and fever reducer that enhances the effects of hydrocodone.
While the brand name Norco is no longer available in the US, the combination of hydrocodone and acetaminophen is still available and widely used in a generic form. The generic version is called hydrocodone/acetaminophen or hydrocodone/APAP; however, many consumers still refer to it as Norco.
The generic versions are available in various strengths, such as 2.5mg/325 mg, 5mg/325mg, 7.5mg/325mg, and 10mg/325mg. Norco is a Schedule II drug under the Controlled Substances Act, meaning it has a medically accepted use while also having a high potential for abuse.
Healthcare providers prescribe Norco for some of the following scenarios:
- Post-surgical pain management
- Dental pain following procedures
- Pain from moderate to severe injuries
- Cancer-related pain
- Back pain
- Chronic pain conditions (under close supervision due to the risk of dependence)
How Does Norco (Hydrocodone/Acetaminophen) Work?
Hydrocodone is an opioid and works on the mu opioid receptors in the brain to block pain signals, suppress cough, and induce a state of euphoria. Many people misuse hydrocodone because of its euphoric effects and, as a result, can easily become addicted to this opioid.
Acetaminophen is a pain reliever and fever reducer that acts on proteins called cyclooxygenase (COX) in the brain and spinal cord, ultimately blocking prostaglandin production. Prostaglandins are chemicals that increase pain and raise body temperature. By reducing prostaglandin levels, acetaminophen lowers pain and fever.
Acetaminophen is metabolized in the liver, so Norco should not be prescribed to people with liver disease or who consume alcohol because it can cause further damage.
Is Norco Addictive?
Because Norco contains hydrocodone, which is an opioid, it has high addiction potential.
Over time, Norco rewires the brain’s reward system and triggers a massive release of dopamine, the feel-good hormone that produces a surge of euphoria. The more Norco is used, the more the brain becomes accustomed to this Norco-driven dopamine surge, and eventually the brain will suppress dopamine release during natural rewards like food, sex, and pleasurable hobbies. As a result, the brain and body experience urges and cravings for Norco, and the person will go to extreme lengths to compulsively use Norco, even when using Norco causes harmful consequences.
How Is Norco Abused?
Any time someone uses Norco without a prescription or in a way other than what is prescribed, it is considered abuse. This includes the following:
- Mixing Norco with alcohol or other drugs
- Crushing up Norco pills into powder and snorting it intranasally
- Buying Norco off the street
- Using someone else’s Norco prescription
- Taking a higher dose of Norco than prescribed
- Taking Norco more frequently than prescribed
- Taking Norco for a longer duration than prescribed
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Signs Of Norco Addiction
Norco addiction is classified as an opioid use disorder. Addiction is diagnosed on a spectrum from mild to severe. Some signs of Norco addiction include taking more Norco than intended (increased dosage or frequency) and prioritizing drug use over personal or professional responsibilities. Other signs and symptoms of hydrocodone addiction include the following:
- Tolerance
- Dependence
- Spending a lot of time using, thinking about using, and recovering from hydrocodone use
- Cravings and urges to use hydrocodone
- Unable to fulfill obligations at work and school because of hydrocodone use
- Continuing to use hydrocodone despite it causing problems at home, work, and school
- Social withdrawal due to hydrocodone use
- Using hydrocodone in dangerous situations (such as driving or operating machinery)
How Is Norco Dependence And Addiction Treated?
Norco dependence and addiction are treated using a combination of medication and psychotherapy. Medications for opioid use disorder are an evidence-based treatment using FDA-approved drugs beginning in detoxification to help ease Norco withdrawal effects and continued through long-term treatment to reduce cravings and urges.
Norco dependence occurs when the body becomes so accustomed to Norco that it needs it to function normally. When Norco is stopped or drastically reduced, the person will experience withdrawal. Norco withdrawal, although usually not life-threatening, is uncomfortable and painful, and one of the main reasons why people continue to abuse Norco.
As a result, detoxification is usually needed to help people withdraw from Norco in a safe and comfortable setting where medications are administered to ease and minimize withdrawal symptoms.
Medications given during detoxification include buprenorphine and methadone, and these can be continued through long-term treatment. Naltrexone is an addiction medication used for the treatment of Norco addiction and can be started after the patient is out of the dangerous detox window.
Once the person is out of the detox phase, formal addiction treatment can begin in either an inpatient or outpatient setting. Opioid medications can continue to be used in combination with psychotherapy approaches, such as cognitive behavioral therapy. The goal of psychotherapy is to recognize and address the underlying triggers that may have led to the addiction in the first place while developing healthy coping mechanisms to manage these triggers effectively in the future.
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With professional support, you or a loved one can get back to living life free from addiction. If you or someone you know is struggling with Norco misuse, please visit our rehab directory or contact a treatment provider today to learn more about available rehab options.
