Tramadol: The Curse Behind The Blessing

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Pain has become a common feature in the life of the 21st century man. It underlines most of his transactions. A man who lost his job suffers the emotional pain of joblessness. On the other hand, the one who works very hard suffers the physical pain of an aching body.

Research has shown that emotional pain and physical pain activate similar regions of the brain. This shows that the brain's interpretation of a physical pain is similar to its interpretation of an emotional pain.

Most people think that emotional pain and physical pain cannot be treated in the same way. For emotional pain, they consider anti-anxiety medications like Benzodiazepines (e.g Bromazepam) while for physical pain, the Non Steroidal Anti-inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDs) such as Ibuprofen, come in handy. In more severe cases, opioid analgesics (e.g Codeine, Tramadol etc.) are considered.

Recent studies have shown that over-the-counter medications (like NSAIDs) which can alleviate physical pain may also be effective in abolishing emotional pain (especially the type associated with anxiety).


How is Pain Defined?

Pain can be described either in terms of Intensity (as Mild, Moderate, or Severe) or Time Course (as Acute or Chronic). On a scale of 0 - 10, 0 representing no pain and 10, worst pain imaginable; Mild pain is rated as less than or equal to 4/10, Moderate pain is between 5/10 - 6/10, and Severe pain is more than or equal to 7/10. With reference to pain duration, Acute pain lasts less 3 - 6 months while Chronic pain lasts more than 3 - 6 months and usually applies to moderate and severe pains.

Besides mild pain which an individual can manage alone with the use of over-the-counter medications (like Paracetamol or NSAIDs), it is imperative for individuals to seek expert advice from a Pharmacist or Medical Practitioner when pain has lasted for longer than necessary.

Although an individual can easily manage mild pain at home with the use of Aspirin, Ibuprofen, or Naproxen, the long term use of these medications comes with a cost, and as such should not be used for more than 10 days without checking with a drug expert. These medications raise an individual's risk of having a heart attack, stroke (especially at high doses) and stomach bleeding.

It is in light of these challenges that people resort to the use of opioids ( whether Tramadol or Morphine). This, however should not be the call of an individual who is naive when it comes to drug matters. It should be left in the capable hands of an expert. This paper is intended to be about Tramadol but I digress. Please pardon me.


What You Must Know About Tramadol

Tramadol does not have the increased risk of stomach ulcers and internal bleeding associated with the conventional pain medications - NSIADs. We would want to believe this to be a blessing. However, underneath this blessing is the curse of addiction, abuse, and misuse.

Tramadol is an opioid pain medication used in treating moderate to severe pain. It works in the brain to change how the body feels and responds to pain. The maximum recommended Daily Dose is 400mg and for people aged 75yrs and older, it is 300mg. The therapeutic effect of the drug decreases with long term use and as such, it is only recommended for management of breakthrough (acute) but not chronic pains.

Side effects of tramadol include Nausea, Vomiting, Constipation, Light-headedness, Dizziness, and Headache. In severe cases, there is mental/mood changes (e.g hallucinations), difficulty in urinating, weight loss, syncope (fainting).

One of the best platforms on which opioid analgesics are used is in the control of pain in terminal illness. Pregnant women and lactating mothers should not consider tramadol as a saviour when in any kind of pain. Pregnant women that use the medication may gave birth to a child that becomes dependent on it. This could cause life-threatening withdrawal symptoms in the baby. For breastfeeding mothers, undesirable effects on the nursing infant include Sleepiness, Difficulty in Feeding and Breathing.

Withdrawal symptoms following long term use of tramadol include: Watery Eyes, running Nose, Restlessness, Sweating, Nausea, muscle aches.

I do not wish to sound religious with this paper but blessings (especially those from God) are supposed to be sorrow free. I can only hope that this paper would help readers make the best informed decision.



Thank You For Reading

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