For severe aches, 10–325 mg of hydrocodone is recommended. The best patients for hydrocodone 10-325 mg are those who are expected to require medication to relieve severe pain continuously over an extended period of time and who are unable to tolerate other medications or therapies. It is no longer necessary to utilize hydrocodone extended-release (long-acting) pills or extended-release medications to treat aches that can be treated with medication that is taken as needed. Opiate (narcotic) analgesics are a class of medications that includes hydrocodone. It functions by altering how the mind and fearful apparatus react to pain