When most people hear the word addiction, the first thing that comes to their mind is things such as alcohol, heroin, marijuana, cocaine, etc. And the word addiction can be mentioned in lighter terms.
Then they think of scrolling through social media, chocolate, or shopping.
The definition of addiction goes like this: “compulsive need for and use of a habit-forming substance…” But one growing issue in America, bigger than most people realize, is painkiller addiction and substance abuse.
You see, some of these additions take responsibility for many deaths. This includes Ultram – Tramadol, a type of painkiller that is very addictive and similar to morphine.
The American Society of Addiction Medicine in 2016 reported that more than two million Americans starting from the age of 12 had a substance abuse disorder that involved painkiller drugs.
Not all deaths which occur due to drugs are tracked carefully. However, the National Institute on Drug Abuse 2017 posted the following graphic to emphasize the increasing issue of deaths due to overdose in the past seventeen years.
Based on the report from U.S. CDC Centers for Disease Control Tramadol is grouped with Fentanyl in the category “Synthetic opioids other than Methadone.”
Source Image: NIH
When it comes to the case of painkiller addiction and health and Tramadol along with Fentanyl, the graphic below also shows how those numbers increased in 2013 and continued to increase.
Image Source: ITV News
Why Is Tramadol Dangerous?
You should know that tramadol is a potent synthetic pain reliever. It falls in the category of narcotics and opioids. It’s used to treat severe and moderate pain.
Often, it’s given to adults who have severe, chronic pain since it may be administrated in tablets of extended-release. How does it work? It binds to the receptors found in the brain responsible for alerting the body of pain.
Tramadol and Its Side Effects
Blood in urine;
Nausea;
Memory loss;
Bloating;
Increased heart rate;
Chills;
Fainting;
Increased blood pressure.
A former leading expert in forensic medicine and Northern Ireland State Pathologist, Professor Jack Crane, talks on this topic.
He believes that Tramadol should be classified as class A medication. By doing that, it would be put alongside cocaine and heroin in how dangerous it is to use with the potential for side effects and addiction.
Professor Crane publicly spoke of the problem of Tramadol in the year 2017 after a couple of tragic deaths related to Tramadol happened in his country – Ireland.
The Reason Why Tramadol is Addictive
Tramadol provides effective relief from pain, but it also produces feelings like detachment from one’s body, euphoria, calmness, numbness, and relaxation.
You should know that these dual-acting benefits of this drug are because of its capability to raise the availability of 2 neurotransmitter chemicals in the brain known as serotonin and norepinephrine.
These specific chemicals improve concentration and quality of sleep. Also, they help relieve the signs of depression and different mood disorders.
Alcohol and Tramadol
When mixed with alcohol Tramadol can cause a lethal comatose state.
The book “Drug Interactions: Analysis and Management” says that mixing this drug with alcohol boosts the impacts of Tramadol and raises the risk of side effects that may be dangerous.
This includes organ damage, lowered heart rate, blood pressure, breathing issues, and death.
Final Words
When taking any drug or medication, it’s crucial you know the risks. In some cases, strong painkillers may be needed to keep the quality of life.
For others, particularly those who might make you addicted, there are other options for dealing with pain that might be less dangerous and just as effective.
In case you are nervous that you might have feelings of addiction and dependency on Tramadol or other medications - speak up. Talk to your doctor about this.
Your doctor can give you a less addictive drug or provide strategies and tools while you are taking Tramadol.
