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Opiates Stop Pain

Did you know that some opiates can have important medical uses? They're powerful pain killers, and doctors sometimes prescribe them to control severe diarrhea. If you look on a cough medicine label, you might find that codeine is one of the ingredients.

When used properly for medical purposes, opiates don't produce an intense feeling of pleasure, and patients have very little chance of becoming addicted.

Surprising Facts

Your brain produces its own versions of opiates, called endogenous opioids. These chemicals act just like opiates, binding to opiate receptors.

Endogenous opioids are your body's way of controlling pain. If you've ever felt pleasantly relaxed after exercising a lot, that feeling was probably caused by the release of this natural chemical in your brain.

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