Opioid medicines commonly used to treat acute pain at home

Medicine name	Forms
Oxycodone (brand names: Oxaydo, Roxicodone, RoxyBond) Oxycodone with acetaminophen (brand names: Endocet, Nalocet, Percocet, Prolate)	Pills Liquids
Hydrocodone with acetaminophen (brand names: Lortab, Vicodin) Hydrocodone with ibuprofen (generic only)	Pills Liquids
Hydromorphone (brand name: Dilaudid)	Pills Liquids Suppositories (small amounts of medicine that go into the rectum)
Morphine (brand name: MSIR)	Pills Liquids Suppositories (small amounts of medicine that go into the rectum)
Tramadol (brand name: Ultram) Tramadol with acetaminophen (brand name: Ultracet)	Pills Liquids
Codeine (generic only) Codeine with acetaminophen (brand name: Tylenol with codeine)	Pills Liquids

These are some of the opioid medicines doctors prescribe to treat acute pain at home. "Acute" means pain that lasts a short period of time, such as after surgery or an injury. There are other opioids, too, as well as other forms. But those are used more often for treating pain in people with long-term, or "chronic," pain. There are also opioids that can be given as shots, but these are usually given in the hospital.
All the medicines in this list come as "generic" drugs. Examples of current and past US brand names are also listed for some medicines. Some brands are no longer sold, but people might still use the names to refer to the medicine.
Most of the time, doctors prescribe "immediate-release" opioid pills for acute pain. These work fast to relieve pain. Some opioids also come as "extended-release" pills. These release medicine into the body more slowly over time. Extended-release pills are not usually prescribed to treat acute pain.
For more detailed information, ask your doctor or nurse for the patient drug information handout from UpToDate. It explains how to use each medicine, describes its possible side effects, and lists other medicines or foods that can affect how it works.

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