Vicodin was House’s chronic leg-pain medication in House M.D.
Vicodin is a brand name for a combination of hydrocodone and paracetamol, also called acetaminophen. In the series, House uses the opioid painkiller after an infarction in the quadriceps muscle of his right leg leaves him with lasting pain and impaired mobility.
His reliance on Vicodin is a major continuing storyline rather than a minor character detail. It affects his relationships, medical judgment, employment, and attempts to manage addiction. Several plots focus on withdrawal, rehabilitation, and the consequences of obtaining or using the drug.
Viewers sometimes use “painkillers” as the answer, but Vicodin is the specific medication repeatedly identified in the show. The fictional depiction should not be treated as medical advice, especially because opioid risks and prescribing practices are serious real-world issues.