What to know about using kratom to treat opiate withdrawal
Kratom is an herbal extract. Some people use kratom to treat opioid withdrawal. However, kratom can cause addiction, and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has not approved its use in the United States.
Opioids are drugs that doctors often prescribe to treat pain. These drugs bind to opioid receptors in the brain. Opioid receptors play a role in pain, mood, stress, reward, gastrointestinal functions, and respiration.
When opioids bind to opioid receptors, this can relieve pain and cause feelings of euphoria and relaxation.
People can misuse these medications and may go on to develop an opioid use disorder. In 2014, 2.5 million people in the U.S. were misusing opioids.
“Opiates” is the term for naturally occurring opioids, such as morphine and codeine.
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