Skip to main content

Norco vs Vicodin - How do they compare?

Medically reviewed by Carmen Pope, BPharm. Last updated on June 4, 2025.

Official Answer by Drugs.com

Both Norco and Vicodin contain acetaminophen and hydrocodone. The difference between them comes down to the proportion of these two ingredients contained in each formulation.1,2

Note: Both the Norco and Vicodin brands have been discontinued in the U.S., but generics are available. This information is retained here for educational purposes only.

Both Norco and Vicodin should only be used short-term, unless given for cancer-related pain.4 Norco, Vicodin, and other narcotics should NOT be used long-term for chronic pain relief – the hydrocodone component can cause physical and psychological dependence, and tolerance can develop on repeated administration (tolerance is when the same dosage no longer provides the same level of pain relief).1,2,4 Prescription pain killer abuse is epidemic in the U.S. and non-narcotic pain relievers and nonpharmacological therapy are the preferred options for relief of chronic pain.4,5

The dosage recommended by the manufacturer for Norco is one tablet every four to six hours as needed for pain, with a maximum dosage of 6 tablets in 24 hours.1 While this dosage would give you an adequate amount of hydrocodone, an effective dose of acetaminophen in adults is usually considered to 650mg of acetaminophen every four to six hours (or 1000mg every four hours up to a maximum of 4000mg in 24 hours). Therefore, with the recommended dosing of Norco, it is unlikely that the acetaminophen is actively contributing to your pain relief.

With Vicodin, the dosage recommended by the manufacturer is one or two tablets every four to six hours as needed for pain, with a maximum dosage of 8 tablets.2 One tablet gives you 300 mg acetaminophen, which is not considered an effective dose for adults, whereas two tablets give you 600 mg, which is still not an effective dose.

The comparisons between Norco and Vicodin:

See also: Drugs.com Compare Tool - Norco vs Vicodin

Related questions

References
  1. Norco Dosage Guide https://www.drugs.com/dosage/norco.html
  2. Vicodin Dosage Guide https://www.drugs.com/dosage/vicodin.html
  3. Reformulation and discontinuation announcement. https://www.uspharmacist.com/email/ecf1229.html

Read next

Naproxen vs ibuprofen: What's the difference?

Ibuprofen is short acting, while naproxen is long acting and more likely to cause an upset stomach. Naproxen also increases the risk of uncontrolled bleeding in people taking blood thinners by 4-fold, and ibuprofen increases the risk 2-fold. Naproxen and ibuprofen are both NSAIDs so they are similar in many ways, but there are important differences. Continue reading

What is low dose naltrexone (LDN)?

Low dose naltrexone means taking a dose of naltrexone that is up to one-tenth, or 10%, of the dose that is usually taken for opioid addiction. A low dose of naltrexone is approximately 4.5mg of naltrexone a day compared with the usual dosage of naltrexone for opioid addiction which is 50mg to 100mg a day. Continue reading

Can you take ibuprofen on an empty stomach?

Despite popular belief that you have to take ibuprofen with food, you can take ibuprofen on an empty stomach and this will give you faster pain relief than taking it with food. Food increases the time it takes for ibuprofen to be absorbed, although it won't affect how much is absorbed. There is actually no evidence that taking ibuprofen with food prevents gastric irritation – ibuprofen at OTC doses has a low incidence of gastric irritation anyway. Continue reading

See also:

Related medical questions

Drug information

Related support groups