What painkiller is Dr. House addicted to in House M.D.?

Dr. House is addicted to Vicodin in House M.D. Vicodin is the brand name associated with a combination of hydrocodone and acetaminophen, and the drug is central to House's ongoing pain and addiction storyline.

House uses Vicodin to manage chronic pain caused by an infarction in the quadriceps muscle of his right thigh. The resulting disability leads him to walk with a cane and contributes to his distrust of easy explanations.

The medication also creates professional consequences. House's colleagues and hospital administrators repeatedly question his use of Vicodin, while House alternates between denial, attempts at control, and periods of treatment or withdrawal.

Viewers sometimes substitute other prescription painkillers because the show depicts broader addiction themes. However, Vicodin is the specific drug most strongly identified with House throughout the series. It is also a real medication, not a fictional invention created for the program.