Pain is one feeling that we do not consider as an entirely welcoming experience, although pain is subjective and individualized; the feeling can result to limitation in movement, a narrowed focus and an altered consciousness. The presence of pain makes living uncomfortable and daily activities quite impossible, so how is pain dealt with especially to those who experience it in an intense and chronic manner?

What is Tramadol?

Tramadol is a drug used to relieve moderate to severe pain associated with surgery, disease conditions such as renal or biliary colic, myocardial infarction and cancer. This is the preferred drug for the said condition primarily because pain that emanates from these conditions cannot be simply relieved by analgesics and other pain relievers. Tramadol belongs to the classification of opiate agonists. Unlike analgesics and other pain reliever, opiate agonist doesn't act on the chemical source of the pain (cyclooxygenase and prostaglandin) rather it exerts more efforts on releasing the body's natural pain killers. Opiate receptors found in the brain and spinal cord are the targets of tramadol, what it does is to stimulate these receptors to release natural opioids such as endorphin, enkephalin, endomorphins and nociception, these natural opioids depress the feeling of pain without causing the patient to lose consciousness. The drug acts on the centrally (central nervous system) to relieve moderate to severe pain in acute or chronic conditions.

Side effects to Expect and Watch Out For
As previously stated, tramadol acts centrally, targeting the brain and the spinal cord, because of this, tramadol is considered a controlled substance, and its use must be strictly under the supervision and guidance of health care professionals.

Tramadol without prescription is prohibited and purchase tramadol without prescription can be grounds for legal problems. Since the drug acts on the central nervous system, patients are expected to feel light headed, dizzy, and nauseous. Some patients may experience vomiting and sweating, as these functions are found in the central nervous system and can be affected by the drug. These symptoms can be reduced when the client lies supine. The patient's degree of alertness and orientation may also be affected by the use of this drug.

The ability of opiate agonists to affect functions of the central nervous system is one that people need to watch out for; respiratory depression is one side effect of the drug that can be fatal if it is overlooked. Opiate agonists like tramadol have an effect on the respiratory centers found in the brain, they posess the ability to decrease the respiratory center's sensitivity to carbon dioxide. Carbon dioxide is the stimulus for breathing, if respiratory centers are not sensitive enough to carbon dioxide, respiratory depression may occur.

Another side effect of the drug that must be watched for is its excessive use or abuse. Remember that the drug acts on opiate receptors in the brain and spinal cord, opiate receptors releases chemicals that relieve pain and promote the feeling of pleasure. The patients may get attached or continually crave that feeling of pleasure brought about by the drug, and this may lead to excessive use.

Tramadol as a Controlled Substance

Tramadol has a significant use in the medical field; however this use could also open to doors to drug abuse and addiction. A primary concern when it comes to the use of pain relievers such as tramadol is its potential to cause drug dependence. That is why opiate agonists are under the Federal Controlled Substances Act, this prohibits people to buy tramadol or purchase Tramadol without a physician's prescription. Tramadol without prescription is not practiced in most industrialized countries and could lead to certain penalties. Because tramadol is considered a controlled substance, drug regulating agencies and pharmaceutical companies advocate for the use of extended release formulas, this is said to lower the risks of drug dependence compared to its instant release counterpart. Since tramadol belongs under the classification of opiates, it shares a close relationship with opium derived drugs such as heroine and morphine and share the similar action of stimulating analgesic effects. Tramadol, together with its most popular relative heroine and morphine remind us of the potency of the drug to be both beneficial and destructive, so it is very important for us to work very closely with health care professionals when it comes to the use of this drug.