Narcotic pain medication. Narcotics are powerful pain-relieving medications derived from opium or synthetic opium. Narcotics alter a person's perception of pain and can also induce euphoria, mood changes, mental cloudiness, and deep sleep. These drugs may also cause nausea, lethargy, and constipation. People with OI must be especially careful when taking these medications.
Narcotics can affect a person's balance and increase the chance of falling.
After repeated and prolonged use, some people may become dependent on or addicted to these medications, which are available only by prescription. There are new medications that appear to relieve pain without the serious side effects of narcotics. There is also a skin patch that releases small amounts of a narcotic into the body through the skin. These medications can only be prescribed by a physician. People who suffer from chronic pain frequently suffer from chronic depression as well.