Havoc reigned in the lives of some of our ancestors 180 years ago. British warships out of India ravaged Chinese ports over the banning of a hallucinatory substance that holds therapeutic value even today.
Tramadol and Panadol - both end in ‘dol’.
But they work in very different ways.
I’m sure you have heard of Opium (the illegal drug). It comes from a natural plant, and in a simplified way, it works by sticking to our nerves and slowing them down. That’s why someone who takes opium (illegally) feels relaxed and happy.
That’s good, right? Everyone is stressed nowadays – it’s good to relax…. Right?
Wrong!
Well, it is good to relax, but opium can easily make the person taking it become addicted to taking it – which means they MUST keep taking or they will become angry, stressed and behave abnormally.
As time goes by, the person must take more and more of the drug to be satisfied – and taking too much of the drug can be very dangerous (it can disturb our breathing).
However, because it slows down the actions of the nerves, opium also reduces pain (because nerves carry pain to the brain – like electricity is carried in a wire).
Tramadol (Tramal) is an opium-like medicine (called an opioid analgesic). This means that it was developed to have the anti-pain effect of opium, but thankfully is not as addictive.
It is especially good for pain relief for people who cannot take NSAIDs because of other health problems that may lead to bad effects with NSAIDs. It is also useful in pain not caused by inflammation – like cancer pain. However, some people find that it can make them feel sleepy or nauseous (vomitish) because it also has some action on the brain, which after all, is a nerve center.
Tramadol also does not have any anti-inflammatory effect, which means that if your pain is caused by inflammation (like in knee osteoarthritis) it does not really treat the cause of the pain.
For that reason, Tramadol is sometimes combined with paracetamol to give it a synergistic effect (a double or multiplied effect). Some medicine companies have tried to make it easier by combining Tramadol and Paracetamol in a single capsule (so you don’t need to swallow two separate pills). Ultracet is one example of such a synergistic combination.
Some people who are extra sensitive to the effects of Tramadol on the brain and nerves may find that they do develop a dependence (a mild addiction) to it – which may require them to take Tramadol for a longer term. However, this is not very common.
If you have previously had an addiction (e.g. to alcohol or cigarettes), then you can still take Tramadol for your knee pain, but I would recommend that you take it only when the pain is especially bad – like during flare ups (i.e. not too often) and not at the maximal dose.
Notes:
1. The dosage depends on your weight and the intensity of your pain. Unlike paracetamol, it’s best that you only start taking Tramadol if your doctor prescribes it to you. The above information is meant for your knowledge – and not for you to run to the pharmacy next door and stuff your pockets with Tramadol.
2. Tramadol is sometimes selectively given to pregnant ladies who need analgesics for various reasons. However, as this may depend on the state of your pregnancy, it is always best to check with your friendly obstetrician if you fall into this category.
As always, remember to check with your friendly orthopaedic surgeon or doctor before taking any medicines.
Next in this series :
Nerve Pain. Gabapentin and Pregabalin.
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