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Author: Admin | 2025-04-28
Tramadol belongs to the group of medications known as opioids.1 It is used to treat moderate to moderately severe pain in adults.1What is Tramadol?Tramadol is labeled as a Schedule IV controlled substance by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), meaning it has recognized medicinal use, but there is some potential for abuse and addiction.2,3 Previously unscheduled, but more recently as a Schedule IV drug, tramadol continues to be regarded as relatively safer and less addictive than other short-acting opioids, though research to entirely support this is lacking.4 However, because of this reputation of a superior safety profile, as well as some unique therapeutic benefits relative to other painkillers, tramadol is one of the most commonly prescribed opioids in the United States—frequently used by surgeons for postoperative acute pain.4 In fact, one cohort study found that nearly 75% of the more than 500,000 patients in the study received tramadol as their discharge prescription.4 Unfortunately, an estimated 0.5% (or about 1.7 million people) aged 12 or older misused prescription tramadol products in 2020.5Tramadol has a somewhat unique mechanism of action amongst the prescription opioids. In addition to its activity at opioid receptors, tramadol acts on monoamine reuptake systems to directly inhibit both norepinephrine and serotonin reuptake—increasing their activity in a manner thought to augment its pain management properties.4,6Take Our Substance Abuse Self-AssessmentTake our free, 5-minute substance abuse self-assessment below if you think you or someone you love might be struggling with drug addiction. The evaluation consists of 11 yes or no questions that are intended to be used as an informational tool to assess the severity and probability of a substance use disorder. The test is free, confidential, and no personal information is needed to receive the result.The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) places warnings on the labels and in the prescribing information for Ultram, one of the common brand name tramadol formulations, stating that tramadol exposes users to the risks of addiction, with a potential for misuse similar to other opioids.7 Tramadol use may result in the development of physical dependence, and dependent individuals are at risk of experiencing a serious
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