Definition of OxyContin

1. Slideshow: Surprising Reasons You're in Pain
2. Take the Pain Quiz!
3. Slideshow: Good and Bad Exercises for Low Back Pain

OxyContin: A prescription painkiller that has become a popular and dangerous recreational drug. Also called "Oxy" in the street.

OxyContin is a time-release morphine-like narcotic intended to relieve chronic pain of moderate to severe proportions. One pill of OxyContin is designed to last 12 hours.

The active ingredient in OxyContin is oxycodone, an opioid, a close relative of morphine, heroin, codeine, fentanyl, and methadone.

OxyContin has been much abused. It is highly addicting. Those who abuse "Oxy" usually crush the pills -- to disable their time-release mechanism -- and then snort or inject them for a powerful and immediate opiate high.