More than Just a Painkiller
Physicians typically prescribe Tramadol for chronic pain. Even then, it is mostly for the various different forms of neuralgia, such as trigeminal, postherpetic, occipital, and, though much rarer, glossopharyngial. Neuralgia is a condition resulting in severe aches and pain in one nerve or nerve group in the neck, head, or both.
The drug is so effective because it is not like other pain killers. Unlike codeine and morphine, which are opiates used mostly as analgesics (painkillers), Tramadol is an SSRI—a Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitor, similar to many antidepressants—and so is less addictive than many other pain medications. SSRIs work by making more serotonin available to bind with the postsynaptic receptor. This makes it ideal for chronic pain conditions because patients do not become reliant on the drug long-term as easily as they might with Vicodin, another opioid analgesic.
Aside from treating neuralgia, there are many off-label uses for the drug.
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Restless Leg Syndrome (RLS) –
Also known as Wittmaack-Ekbom’s syndrome, RLS is a disorder of the nervous system resulting in mild pain and severe discomfort in the legs, especially when sufferers of RLS attempt to go to bed. Many sufferers do away with the term “pain” because they feel it is more of a scratchy, nervous discomfort. In the United States, 10% of people suffer from RLS with many undiagnosed.
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Migraines –
Migraines are one of the most difficult conditions to treat. Many of the painkillers prescribed for migraines are very addictive and, many patients complain, simply don’t work. Migraines are more severe than headaches. In fact, they are in an entirely different class. Some sufferers go as far as having tunnel-vision, seeing colors, and hallucinating because of the pain. It is important in conditions like this to have many different options for treatment.
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Treating withdrawal symptoms from other painkillers –
Because other painkillers are so addictive, many people need help getting off of them. Tramadol helps to relieve the symptoms from withdrawal, making breaking the addiction much easier and, in true analgesic fashion, less painful.
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Fibromyalgia –
Fibromyalgia is a condition causing extreme pain and exhaustion in the muscles, ligaments, and tendons. Because people with fibromyalgia may need medication all their life, highly addictive painkillers can be very dangerous, so less addictive alternatives are often explored.
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Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder(OCD) –
OCD is an anxiety disorder. People who suffer from OCD have to deal with constant intrusive thoughts that produce dangerous amounts of anxiety. Most sufferers attempt to cope with the anxiety through a repetitive behaviors, which are called obsessions. Such obsessions include hand washing, item collecting, counting, sexual and violent impulses, nervous habits, aversions to arbitrary things like odd numbers, and so on. People with OCD often seem paranoid or psychotic to others. Tramadol, Tramadol apap, and Tramadol hcl have been shown to produce immediate relief for many patients. Again, because this is a lifetime condition, a less addictive opioid is extremely advantageous to sufferers.
Many countries offer Tramadol or its generics over the counter while others, such as the United States, choose to make it available by prescription only. Fortunately for people suffering from these conditions, it has never been easier to buy Tramadol for less money; they can simply shop online and have their medications conveniently delivered to their homes.