Uses: This medication is used to treat moderate to severe pain. It is also used with other types of medication before and during surgery or other procedures. Butorphanol is a narcotic pain reliever similar to morphine. It acts on certain centers in the brain to give you pain relief. Butorphanol can also block the effects of narcotics and can cause withdrawal symptoms in people dependent on narcotics. If possible, people who have recently used narcotics in high doses or for a long time should not use butorphanol. (See also Side Effects section.)