Individuals in today’s time suffer from pain conditions due to various reasons. They use various medicines to manage this condition as it is a very uncomfortable and emotional feeling. There are two common medicines namely Norco and Vicodin that treat moderate to severe chronic pain. It can be caused due to injury, arthritis, cancer, etc. Today we aim to provide a Vicodin vs Norco comparison that will help an individual to choose their medication according to their conditions.
Now, let’s start the blog with a brief description of Norco and Vicodin medicines!
What is Norco Drug?
Norco drug is mainly used in treating the symptoms of moderate-to-severe pain. People can take this medication drug with or without food. This medicine is mainly used in treating back pain and rheumatoid arthritis in individuals.
The inactive ingredients of this drug are microcrystalline cellulose, magnesium stearate, pregelatinized starch, stearic acid, and croscarmellose sodium.
What is Vicodin Drug?
People who deal with chronic pain can take this drug for the treatment of this problem. Vicodin drug is also useful in treating extreme cough, back pain, and fever in individuals. The inactive ingredients of this medicine are similar as compared to Norco medicine.
Comparison Between Norco vs Vicodin Drugs:
Norco and Vicodin can be compared in six different ways. These are the following comparisons of both these medication drugs:
FDA approval
- Norco drug was approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the year 1997.
- The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved this medicine in the year 1983.
Brand names
There are no brand names for these medication drugs since they are branded drugs that contain Hydrocodone and Acetaminophen as the two active ingredients.
Dosages
Both medication drugs have similar forms of dosages but they are available in different dosage strengths as follows-
Norco
The dosage of Norco medicine is available in the form of oral tablets only. It is mainly used in treating the symptoms of chronic pain in adults. This medicine has various dosage strengths as follows-
Vicodin
The form of Vicodin medication drug is an oral tablet. This drug is mainly used in treating chronic pain in individuals. The dosage strengths of this drug are as follows-
Color and Shape
The shapes of Norco and Vicodin drugs are the same but the colors of these medicines are different. Read the following color and shape of these medication drugs:
Norco
The colors of Norco medicine are orange, yellow, and white. This medication drug is rounded in an oval shape.
Vicodin
Vicodin drug is white in color and the shape of this medicine is oval.
Functions: Norco vs Vicodin
Both Norco and Vicodin work as an opioid agonist in the Central Nervous System (CNS). The function of these medicines is to block the signals of pain in the brain, which helps in reducing moderate-to-severe chronic pain in individuals.
Half-life
The half-life of both Norco and Vicodin medicines is 3.8 hours in an individual’s body.
Drug Interactions
Both Norco and Vicodin interact with 636 medicinal drugs. Some of these drugs are Duvelisib, Dezocine, Hydrochlorothiazide, Diazepam, Pantoprazole, Ethotoin, Ketamine, Nadolol, Oliceridine, Propofol, Rauwolfia Serpentina, Sodium Salicylate, Sodium Polystyrene Sulfonate etc.
Side Effects of Norco and Vicodin Drugs:
The side effects of both Norco and Vicodin medication drugs are the same. These are the following:
- Appetite or weight loss
- Diarrhea
- Shivering
- Redness or irritation in the eyes
- Bleeding gums
- Nose bleeding or runny nose
- Skin rashes, itching or hives
- Chest pain or tightness in the chest
- Headache
- Jaundice (yellow eyes or skin)
- Breathing problem
- Trouble in swallowing
- Blurred vision
- Dizziness, lightheadedness or fainting
- Chills
- Drowsiness
- Fast or irregular heartbeat
- Agitation (severe anxiety)
- Swelling in tongue, eyelids, eyes, face and lips
- Nausea and vomiting
- Joint pain
- Sore throat
- Constipation
- Dryness in mouth
- Stomach pain
- Hoarseness
- Lower back pain
- Sweating
- Speaking problem
- Pain in arms and legs
- Change in mood or behavior
- Heartburn
- Seizures or head injuries
- Hallucinations
- Erectile Dysfunction (Impotence)
Precautions for Both Medications:
- A person should not take more than one tablet of these medicines. An overdose of these medication drugs can have harmful effects on an individual.
- Never drink alcohol or smoke cigarettes after taking any of these medication drugs. It can harm a person’s health if he or she drinks alcohol or smoke cigarettes after taking Norco or Vicodin drugs.
- Women must avoid taking these medication drugs at the time of pregnancy and breastfeeding since it can harm their unborn babies.
- Avoid taking Norco or Vicodin medicines when suffering from breathing problems, pancreatic problems, head injuries, severe bronchial asthma, kidney or liver disease, etc.
- A person should not eat grapefruit or drink grapefruit juice after taking any of these medicines. Because it delays the effects of these drugs, which becomes harmful for him or her.
- Don’t share these drugs with others.
- A person should not resell these medicines without a doctor’s permission.
- An individual should not drive a vehicle or perform any other activities after taking Norco or Vicodin drug.
- Norco or Vicodin drugs must be avoided by people if they are already taking other nitrate drugs.
Conclusion:
In conclusion, we have seen that both Vicodin and Norco drugs are used in the treatment of pain management in individuals. These have both advantages and disadvantages. So, if a patient faces any side effects, it will be helpful for them to consult with a doctor as soon as possible. Hope, this blog will be informative for you!
