The brand-name drug Vicodin combines the two active medications hydrocodone and acetaminophen, usually referred to as paracetamol. In contrast to acetaminophen, which is a non-opioid analgesic and fever reducer, hydrocodone is an opioid painkiller.
The main purpose of Vicodin prescriptions is to treat moderate to severe pain. In order to lessen the sense of pain, it binds to opioid receptors in the brain and spinal cord. Contrarily, acetaminophen can also assist lower temperature while improving the pain-relieving benefits of hydrocodone.
