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Morphine Side Effects

There are many morphine side effects that people who are prescribed the drug may not even know. It is important to recognize all of the morphine side effects in order to properly take the medication without other, more serious side effects that can occur if it is not taken correctly. Keep reading to find out more about morphine side effects and how to watch out for more serious and dangerous side effects of morphine.

What is morphine?
Before we talk about morphine side effects, it is important to know and understand what morphine is and how it works. Morphine medication is considered to be a narcotic pain reliever. It is primarily used to treat moderate to severe levels of pain including chronic pain. This works because the morphine works to dull the pain perception center in the brain. Morphine sulfate appears as a white, feathery cubical mass of crystals or white crystalline powder. The drug was first isolated and considered for medial usage on patients in 1804. German pharmacist Friedrich Wilhelm Adam Serturner was the first to discover its medial uses and first named it Morpheus after the Greek God of dreams. It wasn’t until the hypodermic needle was developed in 1853, however, that the use of morphine began to spread to be used as a pain reliever as well as for a cure for opium and alcohol addictions.

Some of the other desired morphine side effects, in addition to its ability to relieve pain, includes the ability to impair mental and physical performance. Other desired morphine side effects includes relief of fear and anxiety as well as the production of euphoria. These euphoric morphine side effects are highly addictive. Because tolerance to the drug occurs quickly, higher doses can cause undesired morphine side effects like the physical and psychological dependence. This can result in addictive behaviors to morphine.

morphine side effects

Other morphine side effects include:

  • Pain relief
  • Mental and physical performance impairment
  • Euphoria
  • Relief of fear and anxiety
  • Decreases hunger
  • Can reduce sex drive in women
  • Inhibits the cough reflex
  • Reduce level of consciousness

One of the strongest morphine side effects is addictive property of the drug. It doesn’t take long for a person to become addicted and build up a tolerance, which then requires him/her to take a higher dose to get the same effect. This is why it is important to take morphine exactly as prescribed to avoid the risk of becoming addicted even after you no longer need the medication. It is also just as important to not stop using the morphine suddenly before the prescribed time is over, in order to avoid the negative morphine side effects of morphine withdrawal.

Improper usage can result in severe morphine withdrawal and increased negative morphine side effects. Morphine withdrawal or side effects of stopping morphine suddenly may include nausea, abdominal pain, fatigue and vomiting. It is vital to seek emergency medical help right away if you feel any of these negative morphine side effects or if you think you may have overdosed on morphine. An overdose of morphine can be fatal. Some overdose morphine side effects include extreme drowsiness, pinpoint pupils, weak pulse, shallow or no breathing and fainting. It is important to consult your doctor if you have any other questions about morphine use or morphine side effects while using the drug.

Sources:

everydayhealth.com/drugs/morphine

drugrehab.org

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