House’s cane-associated pain medication in House M.D. is Vicodin.
House takes Vicodin to manage chronic pain caused by an infarction in the quadriceps muscle of his right leg. The injury leaves him with a limp and becomes one of the defining physical facts of his character. His reliance on the drug also develops into an addiction that repeatedly affects his medical license, relationships, and judgment.
Vicodin is a brand name for a combination of hydrocodone and paracetamol, also called acetaminophen. In the United States, it was a prescription opioid analgesic. The series uses House’s drug dependence as both a plot device and a way to explore how his pain shapes his behavior.
The medication is sometimes confused with the fictional pain-management details surrounding his leg surgery or rehabilitation. His cane is a symbol of the injury, while Vicodin is the specific drug most associated with his addiction.