Vicodin is a prescription opioid medication used to treat the symptoms of moderate to severe pain. Learn about uses, dosage, side effects, drug interactions, warnings, overdose, and more. Vicodin contains two active ingredients: hydrocodone, an opioid painkiller, and acetaminophen, the same over-the-counter pain reliever found in Tylenol. These two drugs work through different pathways in the body, and combining them produces stronger pain relief than either one alone. The Two Active Ingredients Hydrocodone is the opioid component. It works by binding to specific receptors in. Vicodin is a prescription painkiller used to treat moderate to moderately severe pain. It combines two active ingredients: hydrocodone (5 mg), an opioid, and acetaminophen (500 mg), the same pain reliever found in Tylenol. Doctors typically prescribe it for pain that doesn’t respond well to over-the-counter medications alone, such as pain after surgery, dental procedures, or serious injuries. Vicodin is a prescription medicine best for relieving medium- to extreme pain. When other painkiller medicines fail to work, Vicodin dosage appears as a hero. It stops hitting the pain message to the brain and does this work with the help of hydrocodone, which is an opioid. Hydrocodone gets control over the brain’s opioid receptors. Vicodin is a pain medicine that combines the opioid narcotic hydrocodone and non-narcotic pain reliever acetaminophen. Get a detailed overview of Vicodin, including recommended Vicodin dosages, whether Vicodin is an opioid, and potential interactions for Vicodin and alcohol. Find patient medical information for Hydrocodone/Acetaminophen (Norco, Vicodin, others) on WebMD including its uses, side effects and safety, interactions, pictures. Vicodin (hydrocodone / acetaminophen) is a controlled substance because there's a risk for misuse and addiction. Take the medication exactly as prescribed. Don't change the dose or how often you take it without talking to your prescriber first. Misusing Vicodin (hydrocodone / acetaminophen) might cause the medication to work less well. Detailed dosage guidelines and administration information for Vicodin (hydrocodone bitartrate and acetaminophen). Includes dose adjustments, warnings and precautions. Hydrocodone diversion and recreational use have escalated due to its opioid effects. [12] In 2009 and 2010, hydrocodone was the second most frequently encountered opioid in the pharmaceutical industry. In-drug evidence was submitted to U.S. federal state and local forensic laboratories as reported by the Drug Enforcement Administration 's National Forensic Laboratory Information System (NFLIS. Vicodin was a strong prescription combination pain medicine containing an opioid, hydrocodone, in addition to acetaminophen, which was used to manage moderate to moderately severe pain, when other pain treatments such as non-opioid pain medicines did not relieve pain well enough, or were not tolerated. It has been discontinued, but generics are available.