Tramadol

Tramadol

What is Tramadol?

Tramadol belongs to a class of drugs known as narcotics or opiates. These painkillers are used to treat moderate to severe pain, usually after surgery or an injury. However, your doctor may prescribe Tramadol if you are suffering from chronic pain.

Tramadol blocks the sensation of pain, as opposed to stopping it completely. As Tramadol is addictive, it is available strictly under prescription.

What is Tramadol used for?

The primary use of Tramadol is to help soothe moderate to severe pain. It alters the brain's chemicals to change its response toward pain. Tramadol belongs to opioid analgesics, which are strongly addictive painkillers.

Types of forms available

Tramadol is available in the market as tablets, capsules, and liquid drops that you can swallow. It can also be injected into the body.

How to use Tramadol?

Before starting this medication, always refer to the medication guide provided by your healthcare professional.

You can take this medication orally, as prescribed by your doctor, every 4 to 6 hours, according to your pain intensity. You can take Tramadol with or without food. If you feel nauseous, taking this medicine with food might be helpful.

When it comes to the liquid form of Tramadol, you must use an accurate spoon or a measuring device to get the correct dosage measurements. As the dosage of this medicine depends on the intensity or level of pain being experienced, you should start Tramadol with a low dose and gradually increase it, according to the doctor's advice. Avoid increasing your dosage or taking it longer than prescribed is strictly advised.

How does Tramadol work?

Tramadol is similar in structure to codeine and morphine, but it is less potent and is a lower-risk option that can treat moderate to severe pain. It works by two mechanisms; serotonin-norepinephrine inhibitor, and it is a μ-opioid antagonist.

Things you must make sure of before taking Tramadol

• If you are asthmatic or have severe breathing problems.
• If you have stomach or bowel obstruction.
• If you have used any other sort of substances recently, sedatives, narcotics, alcohol, etc.
• You must be above 12 to be taking this medicine.

Other warnings

The risk for seizures gets significantly higher if you are taking a high dosage than what is recommended by the doctor. If you already have a seizure disorder or are taking antidepressants or opioids, the risk for seizure increases. You should not take Tramadol if you suffer from severe breathing problems, have asthma, have a blockage in your intestines, or have recently used any substance or drugs. Tramadol can cause breathing depression which can become life-threatening quickly.

Tramadol should not be given to children under the age of 12 or anyone below the age of 18 having tonsils or adenoid surgery.

Using Tramadol during pregnancy can be life-threatening as the baby can develop withdrawal symptoms.

If you are using Tramadol along with alcohol, drugs, or other medications, it can react with other chemicals causing fatal side effects.

Make sure you do not take Tramadol if you have had a head injury, epileptic seizure, drug or substance addiction, or metabolic disorder, as your risk for getting a seizure significantly increases with these factors.

You may want to inform your doctor about the following to ensure whether Tramadol is safe for you.

• Breathing problems
• Kidney problems
• Gallbladder, pancreas, or thyroid problems
• Stomach disorder
• Mental problems/disorders

What are the side effects of Tramadol?

Like every medication, Tramadol can cause side effects. Therefore you must keep in check with the symptoms all the time. Talk to your doctor if any side effect persists.

Some common side effects of Tramadol are; getting headaches, feeling sleepy, dizzy, lethargic, nausea, vomiting, constipation, dry mouth, sweating, and depleted energy levels. These side effects are very common, and they go away on their own after some time. However, if the side effects persist, immediately consult with your doctor.

Serious side effects

Tramadol may also have severe side effects, which are not common as it occurs in less than 1 in 100 people. If you happen to feel dizziness, depleted energy levels, or lethargy, this can be a sign of low blood pressure. In addition, having hallucinations, visual or auditory, feelings of being lost, disorientation, confusion, sleepiness, or trouble urinating can be some of the serious side effects of Tramadol.

What happens if you end up missing a dose?

If you happen to miss a dose, skip that dose and take the next dose. Do not take two doses of Tramadol at one time.

What happens in case you overdose?

As Tramadol is a highly addictive drug, there may be severe repercussions if you overdose. The overdose can be life-threatening, especially if somebody is using this drug without a prescription.

What are the symptoms of an overdose?

Severe drowsiness

Pinpoint pupils

Slow breathing or no breathing

It is better to keep naloxone, a medication to reverse the overdose of opioids, with you all the time in case you overdose.

Tramadol interactions:

Tramadol is known to interact with 642 drugs, 12 diseases, and 1 alcohol/food. Alcohol reacts with Tramadol and causes serious effects like drowsiness, dizziness, and concentration problems. Do not take alcohol with Tramadol, as it increases the risk of seizures.

Tramadol is also known to interact with the diseases like respiratory depression, drug addiction, alcohol intoxication, seizures, gastro problems, hypotension, renal damage, and liver diseases.

To manage some common side effects of Tramadol, make sure you follow the given guidelines

• To avoid Gastrointestinal disturbances or nausea, take Tramadol with your meal.
• Do not carry out activities that require physical exertion after taking this medicine, as it causes dizziness and drowsiness.
• Do not take this medication with other sedatives, antidepressants, or antipsychotics.
• To avoid diarrhoea and Gastrointestinal disturbances, drink plenty of fluids.