Can You Overdose on Painkillers?

Painkillers can cause an overdose when taken in high quantities or more than what is prescribed. When any painkiller is taken in excess or taken to the point of overdose, it can be life-threatening. It is important that if you or someone you know is experiencing this, emergency care is needed. Call an ambulance right away.

In this article, we are going to go over all the information you need to know about a painkiller overdose.

Signs of a painkiller overdose?

Overdoses can vary from drug to drug and person to person. It’s a good idea to learn the general symptoms of an overdose, but there are a few more common symptoms with painkillers.

  • Cold or clammy skin
  • Discoloured lips and nails
  • Slow or difficulty breath
  • Vomiting
  • Shaking
  • Pin-point pupils
  • Unresponsive to surroundings

How to help someone going through an overdose?

It is life-saving for an ambulance to be notified as early as possible. It’s these emergency first responders that can administer naloxone, an antidote to opioid overdose which is the most common painkiller to cause an overdose.

While you wait for the ambulance to arrive, place the person on their side and in the recovery position. Tilt their head back and lift their chin to ensure that they can breathe easier. Do not try to make the victim vomit, eat or drink. If you can find which painkillers they took, make sure to have that ready for the ambulance when they arrive.

Painkiller overdose risk factors

Any abuse of painkillers is dangerous and can cause an overdose. There are some risk factors that can put someone at a much higher risk of experiencing one. There are:

  • Injecting or snorting the painkiller
  • Increasing the dose without professional instruction
  • Taking painkillers without knowing the dose
  • Using counterfeit or laced opioids

Contact Get Help for painkiller abuse and addiction

Painkiller abuse is a serious threat to the lives of many and they often go unnoticed. If you or someone you know is currently struggling with medication, reach out to us and one of our professional addiction counsellors will talk you through the next step that you can take toward recovery.