About Tramadol

Tramadol is a pain reliever with effects similar to that of narcotic drugs. It functions by reducing the perception and reaction of the brain to pain, by decreasing the magnitude of pain signals which are transmitted between the nerves.

Uses or Indications

Tramadol is used to provide sustained relief from pain, which ranges from the moderate to the moderately severe. It can also be used as treatment for pain which is obtained through surgery, or from chronic conditions like cancer and joint pain.

How to Use Tramadol

Intake of Tramadol tablets should be done under careful observation of the physician`s directions, or as indicated on the prescription label. Tramadol is an oral ingestion medication which is usually taken in four to six-hour intervals, with or without prior food intake; however, take note that the daily maximum dosage should not be higher than 300mg. Tramadol is meant for oral ingestion; never crush, open, break, or chew the tablet, as it is designed to release the chemical slowly into the body.

Possible Side Effects

The usual accounts of the adverse effects from Tramadol include speech disorders or migraines, and liver failure, bleeding of the gastrointestinal tract, stomatitis, and hepatitis. Patients who incur the following symptoms are advised to consult with a physician: diarrhea, dizziness, vomiting, headaches, an upset stomach, and drowsiness. Those who experience the following are advised to seek immediate medical help: a quick heart rate, numbness of the hands and the feet, redness, itching or swelling of the face, difficulty in breathing, a change in urination patterns, and seizures, among others.

Drug Precautions

Potential users should inform their physician beforehand if they have liver or kidney disease, or if they have a history with drug and alcohol dependence. Such individuals may be unable to take Tramadol; otherwise they may need an adjustment or regulation with dosage strengths during treatment. Pregnant and nursing women are also advised to talk with their physician before taking on Tramadol; the drug may have harmful effects on their unborn or nursing child. Patients who are over seventy-five years old may be more susceptible to the adverse effects of the drug; children below 16 years are also not recommended to take the medication for treatment.

Drug Interaction

Medications which interact with Tramadol include MAO inhibitors; antidepressants like sertraline, amitriptyline, paroxetine, citalopram, nortriptyline, clomipramine, imipramine, desipramine, fluvoxamine, escitalopram, and fluoxetine; drugs which have drowsing effects; quinidine, carbamazepine, rifampin, warfarin, erythromycin, St. John`s wort, digoxin, and ketoconazole.

Missed Dose

If a Tramadol intake is missed, the dose should be taken as soon as it is remembered. If, however, the next intake is almost due, the missed dose should altogether be skipped, and the regular schedule observed by taking the next dose on the appropriate time.

Overdose

An excessive intake of Tramadol can be fatal. Indications of overdose include fainting, drowsiness, a feeling of light-headedness, shallow breathing, cold and clammy skin, a slow heart rate, extreme weakness, and coma. In the presence of such signs, seek immediate medical help.

Storage

Store Tramadol at 25°C, with allowable temperature margins of 15 and 30°C. Keep and dispense the drug in a tightly-sealed container.