Opioid Testing
Reviewed
Also called: Opioid screening, Opiate screening, Opiate testing, Narcotic screen
Opioid testing looks for opioids in a sample of your urine (pee), blood, saliva (spit), hair, or sweat.
Specimen: Urine, blood, saliva, sweat, or hair
Why this test may be ordered
- To monitor opioid levels during medical treatment and ensure the medicine is working without dangerous amounts in your blood
- To check if you are taking the right amount of prescribed opioids and not misusing them
- As part of an overall drug testing program for employment, legal evidence, sports, or drug treatment
- If you have signs of possible opioid misuse or addiction, such as calling early for refills, constricted pupils, or withdrawal symptoms
- In an emergency room if you have signs of a possible drug overdose, such as slow shallow breathing and very low blood pressure
Preparation and collection
Be sure to tell the testing professional or your provider if you are taking any prescription or over-the-counter medicines. Some of these medicines may show up as opioids on your test results. So, you should avoid foods with poppy seeds for at least three days before your test.
Most opioid tests require a urine sample. Other opioid tests may use samples of your blood, saliva, sweat, or hair. For a urine test, you will be given instructions for how to collect your urine sample.
There are no known risks to having a urine, saliva, sweat or hair test. There is very little risk to having a blood test.
Understanding results
Your test results depend on the type of opioid testing you had.
- Positive (screening): Positive results mean that opioids were found. Limitation: But positive test results may not be accurate (false positives), so follow-up testing is usually required to confirm the results. Next step: Confirmation tests may be done if there is a question about the results of a screening test.
- Negative (screening): No opioids were found in your sample. That may be because you haven't taken any, or you took them but they are no longer in your body. Limitation: A very small amount of opioids was found, but too little to be called a positive test result. Next step: In certain cases, follow-up tests may be done to get more information.
- Screening tests cannot show the exact type or amount of opioid present
- Positive screening results may be false positives and require confirmation testing
- Negative results do not rule out recent opioid use if the drug has already cleared from the body
- Results can be affected by how fast your body processes opioids, other medicines, and different lab methods
- At-home tests only check for presence and need follow-up lab testing for accuracy
What to do next
So, it's best to ask your provider to explain what your results mean.
- What type of opioid test did I have (screening or confirmation)?
- Could any medicines or foods I have taken affect my results?
- What should I do if my test result is positive?
- How often should I be tested if I am taking prescription opioids?
- Are there any resources available if I am concerned about opioid misuse or addiction?
Evidence source
Source: U.S. National Library of Medicine (MedlinePlus). Practices and reference ranges may differ in your country.