Morphine is an opioid analgesic and is used to treat moderate to severe pain. Morphine pain medicine works by affecting how the body senses pain. While effective in treating pain, morphine can be quite addictive and can be potentially abused should a dependency develop.

Morphine is most often taken orally through a pill, capsule or liquid. It is also taken rectally by means on a suppository or intravenously. The latter is the preferred method of morphine addicts. When prescribed, morphine is called by many different names and brands including Astramorph, Avinza, Duramorph, Kadian, MS Contin, MSIR and Roxanol.

Effects of Morphine

Morphine can cause many different side effects in those who use the drug. While taking morphine as a prescription from your doctor, you may experience lightheadedness, upset stomach, constipation, rash and vomiting. While morphine side effects are not all that common, they do occur. As always, contact your doctor should the effects of morphine be severe.

A morphine overdose can manifest itself in several ways including lowered blood pressure, slowed breathing and pulse, severe drowsiness, clammy skin, extremely small or extremely dilated pupils and coma. Should any of these warnings signs of a morphine overdose appear in an individual, contact a medical facility immediately.

The long term effects of morphine, like other opiates, causes changes in the chemical balance of the brain. Once your body becomes dependent upon morphine, your brain feels the need for it constantly. This is the same with the morphine derivative, heroin. Morphine addiction is a lifelong battle, with a great potential of relapse.

Morphine Addiction

Morphine is a highly addictive drug with which tolerance and dependence form quite quickly. Morphine addicts will focus their lives around their next dose of the drug. As their brains become more and more dependent on the opiate, the more addicted they become. A morphine addiction also impairs a persons awareness of their surroundings and thought processes.

How To Test For Morphine Abuse

Morphine drug tests can help point out those individuals with high levels of morphine in their systems. There are many different types of drug testing kits that detect morphine, including urine drug tests, saliva drug tests, hair drug tests and spray or sweat drug tests.

Business owners can find great comfort in utilizing morphine drug tests in their workplace. By preventing morphine drug abuse, employers save money in lost production, insurance claims, accident claims and more. Creating a drug testing program can greatly increase a businesss productivity and appearance in the corporate world, whether small or large.

Worried parents can also benefit from drug testing their kids for drug abuse of morphine. Drug tests are easy to administer and provide fast and accurate results. No more wondering about whether or not your teen is using and illicit substance like morphine. A simple drug test can provide the answers you need to help your teen through their drug problem.