Summary: Tramadol is basically a painkiller – a centrally acting opioid analgesic that works by binding to the opioid receptors of the nerves. It is a drug that has been used for more than 40 years and is used to treat moderate to moderately severe pain and is also used to treat fibromyalgia and restless legs syndrome.
German drug company Grunenthal GMBH developed Tramadol in the late 70’s and it has since been used to treat several ailments. The drug has now spread far beyond Germany were it was first developed and is now available all over the world. In the U.S., it has to be bought on prescription and cannot be purchased from sources outside the United States. That constitutes a federal crime. Tramadol is a nonsteroidal anti- inflammatory drug and works by binding to the opioid receptors of the nervous system. It does not have the internal bleeding and ulceration risks of similar medications. It has decreased risk of dependence and abuse but the potential is still there.
Primarily, Tramadol is a painkiller. It is used to treat moderate to severe chronic pain. It is a centrally acting opioid analgesic that works by binding to the opioid receptors of the nerves. It is used in treatment of fibromyalgia and restless legs syndrome and has lots of other applications as well and some of the other potential uses are under investigation. For instance, there is a possibility that Tramadol could be used to treat symptoms like phobia, anxiety and depression. For now it continues to be used as a painkiller for a wide variety of ailments like neuropathy, where treatment of moderate to moderately severe pain has to be done.
Tramadol’s efficacy lies somewhere between that of morphine and codeine. It is also often used to reduce post-operative pain. In these cases, it is often mixed with NSAIDS which means dosage of Tramadol can be reduced and hence side effects can be minimized. It is also used for treatment of osteoarthritis in the elderly. It is preferred because it does not have risk of heart disease and does not cause complications like peptic ulcer. It also does not exacerbate high blood pressure. It is also used to treat labor pain and pain resulting from acute trauma, renal colic and myocardial ischaemia.
The efficacy of Tramadol is very dosage dependant. The recommended dosage for Tramadol is between 50 mg to 100 mg every 4 to 6 hours. The minimum possible dosage should be given keeping in mind the side effects. The painkiller effect of Tramadol can last for up to 6 hours. Low dosage will minimize the commonly reported side effects like – constipation, sweating, nausea, vomiting and itching. Sedative effects are also reported some times and withdrawal of the drug should be done gradually.