Opioid Replacement Treatment
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CAPITAL HEALTH & CLINICS
Internal Medicine & Primary Care located in Bowie, MD & Greenbelt, MD
Opioid use disorder (OUD) is a chronic condition charaterized by compulsive opioid use, even when an individual wishes to quit or continues using despite harmful effects on their physical and emotional health.
Several medications are available to help individuals stop using opioids by reducing cravings or blocking the pleasurable effects opioids produce.
These medications are part of treatment for opioid use disorder—they are therapeutic tools, not replacements for the problematic drugs. People who are motivated and have strong social support often experience better outcomes when using them.
Methadone is administered in a clinic or inpatient setting to manage opioid use disorder. It eases withdrawal symptoms and cravings, and can be taken as a pill, liquid, or wafer. Physicians may also prescribe it for pain management.
Buprenorphine also reduces cravings but does not cause euphoria. It is widely prescribed in office-based settings and usually taken daily as a tablet that dissolves under the tongue. It is also available as a monthly injection or as small implants under the skin that last up to six months.
Both methadone and buprenorphine work by stimulating opioid receptors in the brain to control cravings. They are effective, have comparable safety and side effects, and may be used either for long-term maintenance or, in some cases, to taper off opioid use.
