What is Tramadol prescribed for?

Tramadol is a generic medication prescribed for the treatment of moderate to moderately severe pain conditions. It is available in both the immediate-release and extended-release formulations. Extended-release Tramadol helps manage severe pain on an around the clock basis. It is an opioid pain-relieving medicine that acts directly on the brain. Its pain-relieving actions generally begin within an hour for the immediate release form.

Tramadol got approval for medical use in the 1990s in the United States of America. The medication is marketed under various brand names such as Ultram, ConZip, and Ryzolt. The wholesale cost of Tramadol is less than $0.05 per pill in America.

How to use Tramadol?

Tramadol comes in three formulations: immediate-release tablet, extended-release tablet, an extended-release capsule. It is an oral medicine.
It is generally taken every 4-6 hours, with or without food. Take Tramadol properly as prescribed by the healthcare provider.
Do not take a higher dose or more than prescribed doses of Tramadol as it can develop dependence and addiction or can cause fatal overdose and side effects.
Doctors may start a low dose of Tramadol and slowly increase its dosages to make sure that medicine has maximum therapeutic benefits and lesser side effects.
Never stop taking Tramadol without consulting your doctor. Tramadol is an opioid for which people may develop tolerance and dependence. If you stop the medication cold turkey, it can cause withdrawal symptoms. These symptoms can be mild to severe differently for every individual.
Gradually decrease the dose that you are taking to avoid symptoms of withdrawal caused due to Tramadol.

What precautions should I follow while taking Tramadol?

You need to follow the following precautions while receiving Tramadol treatment:

• You should not take Tramadol if you have a hypersensitivity to it, any other opioid, or any inactive ingredient of the medicine. See the label or ask a medical professional for a complete list of all the components of Tramadol.
• Under no circumstances, you should take Tramadol if you are using an MAO inhibitor or if you have used it in the last 14 days.
• Tramadol interacts with other medications and drugs to produce undesirable effects. Your doctor needs to know all about the prescription, non-prescription, and other medications and drugs that you are taking.
• Inform your prescribing pharmacist or doctor about your current and previous medical conditions.
• If you are pregnant or planning to do so while on Tramadol therapy, tell your doctor as the medicine can harm the fetal.
• Breastfeeding mothers should avoid taking Tramadol as it passes through the human milk and can cause symptoms of withdrawal in the nursing infant.
• Tramadol may decrease your fertility. So, it would be best if you were very cautious while taking it in your fertile years. A doctor or pharmacist can tell you all the risks of fertility while taking Tramadol.
• It would help if you had a proper conversation with your doctor about all the warnings and precautions associated with the use of Tramadol.

Does Tramadol cause any side effects?

Like all other medications, Tramadol has both positive and negative impacts. The most common side effects caused due to Tramadol include nausea, vomiting, indigestion, stomach pain, dizziness, drowsiness, vertigo, headache, and constipation.
When compared to other opioids, Tramadol does not have severe respiratory depression.
The long-term impact of Tramadol use is dependence and addiction. The medicine can cause physical and psychological dependence that results in abuse, misuse, and diversion.

Some frequent side effects of Tramadol include:

• Nervousness
• Uncontrollable shaking
• Muscle tightness
• Heartburn
• Hives, rash
• Difficulty swallowing
• Decreased sex drive
• Irregular menstruation

Does Tramadol have any drug interactions?
Tramadol has severe drug interactions that can affect its effectiveness or increase its side effects. Common drugs that interact with Tramadol include:

• Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs)
• Serotonin Norepinephrine Reuptake Inhibitors (SNRIs)
• Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitors (MAOIs)
• Tricyclic antidepressants
• Opioids like pethidine, oxycodone, tapentadol, fentanyl
• Migraine medications
• Antibiotics like linezolid, isoniazid
• Herbal medicines like St. John’s wort, passiflora
• Stimulants like amphetamines, phentermine, phenethylamine