Up to 10% of people treated with opioids like oxycodone develop itchy skin.[1] Some people experience mild versions that fade away as their bodies adjust to the medication. But others have severe itching combined with other difficult symptoms, including breathing difficulties.
If oxycodone makes you itch, tell your doctor. Switching your medications or using at-home remedies may help. If your itching is severe, you may need quick medical care, so don't delay talking about it.
But the best way to address oxycodone itch is to stop using the medication. Suboxone (buprenorphine/naloxone) can help you quit opioid misuse without feeling sick or overwhelmed with cravings.
Researchers aren't entirely sure why oxycodone makes people itch. But studies suggest a few brain and body changes caused by opioids are to blame.
Opioids cause your blood vessels to open, which triggers the release of a chemical called histamine.[2] Your skin flushes, and histamine makes you itch.
Histamine is a natural and helpful chemical. If you're faced with an intruder, like a bee sting, histamine can isolate the chemical and keep you safe.
But your body can also release histamine in response to natural elements, like pollen. People with hives or allergies face difficulties with histamine very often.
Some people get relief from oxycodone itch with over-the-counter antihistamine medications.[2] But some people don’t, which suggests that opioid itch could have deeper causes we just haven’t uncovered quite yet.
Life with itchy skin isn't easy. An itch is closely related to pain, and your body isn't designed to ignore it. Struggles with sleep, concentration and work are common in people with deep-seated itching.
Medication management techniques, including the following, can help:[3]
At-home care could be helpful too. People with itchy skin can benefit from the following tools:[4]
If none of these steps help, quitting oxycodone use could be your best option. Eliminating the medication from your body could reduce your itching almost immediately.
Quitting oxycodone isn’t as easy as it might sound. After long-term use, brain cells become accustomed to the presence of the drug, and when it is suddenly gone, deep cravings and flu-like symptoms (nausea, vomiting and muscle aches) occur. Suboxone (buprenorphine/naloxone) can ease these symptoms, and with continued use, it can help you to stay sober too.
Researchers say itching caused by opioids is often a side effect, not a symptom of an allergic reaction.[3] In other words, most cases of itchiness aren't life-threatening. But you should still tell your doctor immediately if this issue appears.
Oxycodone itching is a medical emergency if it's accompanied by other symptoms, including these:
If someone experiences these symptoms along with oxycodone itching, call 911 immediately and tell the operator what's happening.
Peter Manza, PhD received his BA in Psychology and Biology from the University of Rochester and his PhD in Integrative Neuroscience at Stony Brook University. He is currently working as a research scientist in Washington, DC. His research focuses on the role of the brain dopamine system in substance use disorders and in aging. He also studies brain function in obesity and eating disorders.
