Tramadol: A "Painkiller" Drug That Claims Countless Lives
When you hear the word addiction, what do you usually think? Is it things like heroin, cocaine, marijuana, or alcohol?
Addiction is defined as the compulsive need for and use of a habit-forming substance. In the U.S., there is a bigger problem related to substance abuse and painkiller addiction. Tramadol (Ultram), a pain reliever that is similar to morphine and extremely addictive, is one of the additions that is responsible for an alarming number of deaths.
It was in 2016 that the American Society of Addiction Medicine has reported that there were over 2 million Americans age 12 and older who had a substance abuse disorder involving painkiller medications.
Below is the graphic posted by the National Institute On Drug Abuse emphasizing the rising problem of deaths caused by overdose in the past seventeen years. Tramadol specifically is grouped with Fentanyl in the “Synthetic Opioids other than Methadone” category, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC).
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Image Source: NIH |
This graphic from the CDC also dictates how the numbers of opioid/painkiller addiction and death rose in 2013 and have only continued to rise.
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Image Source: CDC |
The statistics shown in the image above should serve as a wake-up call to doctors as well as patients. Yes, it’s true that pain relievers are part of treatment for some patients, however, it should never be prescribed or given without careful consideration.
What Is Tramadol And Why Is It Dangerous?
It works by binding to receptors in the brain that are responsible for alerting the body of pain.
Its side effects include fainting, memory loss, nausea, blood in urine, bloating, increased blood pressure, chills, and increased heart rate.
Professor Jack Crane, a former Northern Ireland State Pathologist and leading expert in forensic medicine, says that:
“People seem to assume that Tramadol is safe because it is prescribed by doctors, but in my mind it is just as dangerous as heroin and should be reclassified as a class-A drug,” he said.
After several tragic Tramadol-related deaths occurred in his beloved country of Ireland, Crane was prompted to publicly speak on the issue of Tramadol in 2017. In that year, opiate-based drug killed more people in Northern Ireland.
In the United States, drug overdose deaths caused by synthetic opioids including Tramadol, fentanyl, and fentanyl analogs doubled between 2015 and 2016 from 3.1 to 6.2 per 100,000 people.
Why Is Tramadol Addictive?
- Relaxation
- Calm
- Euphoria
- Numbness
- Detachment from one’s body
Tramadol & Alcohol
According to the book Drug Interactions: Analysis and Management, when you mixed Tramadol with alcohol the effects of the drug are enhanced, thereby significantly increasing your risk of dangerous side effects such as breathing problems, decreased blood pressure and heart rate, organ damage, and death.
Side Effects Of Tramadol Overdose
- Breathing difficulty
- Severe fatigue
- Irregular heartbeat
- Blacking out
- Reduced muscle tone
- Suicidal thoughts
How Much Tramadol Is Safe?
Important note for pregnant women:
When it comes to pregnant or nursing women, Tramadol should NEVER be recommended as it can cause life-threatening side effects or withdrawal symptoms in newborns.
Final Words
Let your physician know if you are experiencing feelings of dependency or addiction to Tramadol or other drugs so that he can give you different, less addictive medication.
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