House commonly misuses Vicodin for the chronic pain caused by his damaged leg in House M.D.
Vicodin is a brand name for a combination of hydrocodone and paracetamol, also called acetaminophen. In the series, House takes the medication to manage severe ongoing pain after an infarction damaged the quadriceps muscle in his right leg. His use develops into an addiction that affects his work, relationships, and medical judgment.
The pills are one of the character’s most recognizable visual and narrative details, but the show treats them as a serious problem rather than merely a character quirk. House repeatedly faces pressure to stop using them and experiences consequences connected to dependence and withdrawal.
Vicodin is not the same as aspirin, codeine alone, or OxyContin. Those are different medicines or formulations. The specific drug repeatedly associated with House’s pain and addiction is Vicodin.