Pain is one of the body’s most important protective signals. While mild pain often improves with rest or non-prescription medicines, some medical conditions produce pain that is severe enough to interfere with movement, sleep, recovery and quality of life. In these situations, healthcare providers may consider opioid medications when other treatments have not provided adequate relief or are not appropriate. Oxycodone is a prescription opioid analgesic used to manage pain severe enough to require an opioid when alternative treatment options are inadequate. It is available in immediate-release and extended-release formulations, with each designed for different clinical situations. Because oxycodone carries important risks—including addiction, misuse, overdose and potentially fatal respiratory depression—it should only be used exactly as prescribed and under close medical supervision.