Oxycodone is in a class of medications called opiate analgesics and works by changing the way the brain and nervous system respond to pain. Oxycodone is used to relieve moderate to severe pain that cannot be treated with other medications.
Percocet is so effective because it is a combination of two drugs: oxycodone and acetaminophen. Percocet is classified as a narcotic. Acetaminophen enhances the oxycodone's properties by inhibiting pain receptors hence relieving pain.