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Tramadol Ultram Over The Counter
Tramadol – Life without Pain Is Possible
Tramadol is an opioid analgesic used to cut moderate and moderately-severe pain. This drug is known for its effectiveness and dependence risks. Let’s find out what is true and what is not.
Ease Your Pain with Tramadol
We all know what pain is. And sometimes, it becomes so strong that we can’t handle it without a painkiller drug. The CDC statistic says that 20.4% of adults in the United States live in chronic pain. Often, it’s devastating for their life because pain doesn’t let them work or get along well with the close ones. The medication that can help you cope both with chronic and acute pain is Tramadol. It is an opioid drug ranking the 35th most often prescribed medication in the United States.
Compared to other painkillers, Tramadol is a relatively new drug. It has been present on the US pharmaceutical market since the middle of the 1990s. This medication is a Schedule IV substance, which means it can cause addiction and dependence. Therefore, Tramadol can be bought exclusively by prescription. If you suffer from pain, ask your GP if you can take Tramadol to ease your condition.
How Does Tramadol Affect Your Body?
Tramadol is primarily used in people who suffer from severe chronic pain, which doesn’t respond to non-opioid medications. This drug is an opioid agonist. On getting into the body, Tramadol produces several effects: it inhibits the reuptake of serotonin and noradrenaline. Besides, it works as a serotonin releasing agent. Working in synergy with other effects produced by the drug, a potent analgesic effect is achieved.
The effects you’ll feel when on Tramadol include pain relief, reduction of anxiety levels, sedation, and muscle relaxation. If you take the medication orally, you’ll feel improvement in your condition in less than an hour. Depending on the formulation of the drug (immediate- or extended-release), the duration of action of Tramadol may range from 6 to 24 hours.
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PMechanism of Action of Tramadol
Based on your doctor’s prescription, you can use Tramadol either on schedule or on-demand. The dosage and duration of the therapy should be selected individually. Consult your GP for details.
Addiction to the Drug: Is It Possible?
One of the main threats of taking Tramadol is its high potential for misuse, abuse, and addiction. According to the Addiction Center, 60% of people using painkillers, including Tramadol, get the drugs not from the pharmacist but from their relatives and friends. Such a situation enhances the risks of drug addiction. To minimize your risks, use Tramadol only if your doctor considers it necessary.
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Usage Guidelines for the Medication
Physical and psychological dependence on Tramadol may develop if you use it long-term, especially if you take high doses of the drug. How to know that you have developed the habit? At first, you may notice that the medication doesn’t work so well as it used to. Then, you may start taking doses higher than prescribed. Other signs of your addiction to the drug may include visits to numerous doctors in an attempt to get more Tramadol prescriptions, mood swings, and many more.
Whenever you catch yourself on a thought that you are abusing the drug, call your doctor for advice. There are effective ways of dealing with the problem and taking you out of addiction.
How to Take Tramadol Safely?
Treatment with Tramadol can be effective and safe if you stick to the guidelines highlighted in the patients’ leaflet and the recommendations of your doctor about the dosing schedule. Some pieces of advice you’ll find below will help you soothe your pain effectively with minimum risks of unwanted reactions or dependence.
- If you use extended-release pills of Tramadol, don’t chew or crush them before swallowing. This will cause the immediate release of the entire dose of the active substance, which grows your risks for side effects.
- Food doesn’t influence the absorption of Tramadol. However, intake with a meal may help you avoid nausea, which is one of the common side effects of this drug.
- It’s crucial to start treatment at low doses. Taking the therapeutically effective dose without any previous experience of using opioid analgesics may cause some unwanted reactions. A gradual dose increase gives your body time to adjust to the effects of the drug and thus avoid side effects or at least minimize their manifestations.
- Never alter the dosing recommendations given by your GP without informing them. Stick to the advice of a medical professional.
- Don’t take Tramadol with benzodiazepines, like Xanax. The interaction of these drugs has potentially life-threatening outcomes.
- People with brain disorders, breathing disorders, severe hepatic or renal disorder, or arrhythmia should avoid taking Tramadol. If you have any comorbid medical condition, tell your GP about it.
- Be careful when driving or doing other activities that require alertness because Tramadol can make you feel dizzy.
- Withdraw from Tramadol therapy by gradually reducing the dose. If you stop taking it abruptly, you are likely to develop withdrawal symptoms.
Summing up
Tramadol is a potent painkiller, which is widely used for long-term chronic pain management. If used according to the doctor’s advice, this drug is safe and shouldn’t cause any problems.
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