A comprehensive dictionary of over 200,000 medical and healthcare abbreviations.
Similar to heroin, oxycodone produces â along with pain management â a euphoric high caused by stimulation of the reward center of the brain. Oxycodone elevates levels of the neurotransmitter dopamine, which is considered the pleasure chemical of the brain. On the street, OxyContin is known as âOxy,â âOC,â âOxyCotton,â âHillbilly Heroin,â and âKickers,â and is often used if heroin or morphine is not available.
In effect, the difference between oxycodone and OxyContin has more to do with how they're formulated and the effects each drug produces. OxyContin/Oxycodone Effects OxyContin is a form of oxycodone. Opiates work by attaching to certain cell receptor sites located in the brain, along the spinal cord and along the gastrointestinal tract. These cell sites secrete the body's own pain-relieving chemicals, also known as neurotransmitters, on an as-needed basis.