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Supportive care focuses on treating withdrawal symptoms without introducing new opiates to the system, utilizing medications like Clonidine for sympathetic tone, dicyclomine for cramping, and ibuprofen or acetaminophen for pain. This approach can make the acute phase of withdrawal more tolerable, although it does not eliminate the misery entirely.
Conversely, opiate replacement therapy is another widely accepted protocol. Medications like buprenorphine (found in Suboxone and Subutex) act as partial agonists, occupying opioid receptors to prevent withdrawal symptoms while not delivering the same euphoric high. This strategy aims to ease patients off opioids gradually and securely.