Is Tramadol a Narcotic?

 What is a narcotic?

In simple language, a narcotic is an addictive drug that can affect a person’s mood and behavior. Typically, narcotics category drugs are illegal or sold as controlled substances in the market due to their highly addictive nature.

One of the most abused narcotic substance is heroin. It belongs to the same family of drugs as Tramadol, which means people do misuse Tramadol. This medicine’s primary use is to provide relief from moderate to severe pain, but Tramadol addiction can grab hold of a person if not taken with caution.

What people refer to as opioid pain medications are narcotics. It is because narcotic substances work similarly to opioid drugs. Though doctors prescribe Tramadol to people with pain due to its effectiveness against pain, it comes with several warnings about addiction and overdose.

In controlled doses, this medicine can help with pain, but it can have several adverse effects on the body if taken in a higher quantity or for extended periods.

Does Tramadol show up in a drug test?

Yes, Tramadol is detectable in drug tests. It shows up in the urine test for three to four days after consumption. In a blood test, it remains detectable for up to 24 hours.

Typically Tramadol does not show up as a positive for opiate drug test meant for employment purposes, but it will get detected on a prescription drug test.

Tramadol addiction

Like other substances from the narcotic family, Tramadol, too, has the habit-forming potential. Meaning, if you consume more than the prescribed amount of the drug or use it for more than the recommended duration, you will be at a higher risk of developing physical or psychological dependence on Tramadol.

With long-term use, the brain becomes accustomed to receiving the chemicals from Tramadol, leading it to alter its functioning based on the drug’s presence in the system. It results in the development of tolerance for medicine. The more a person uses this drug, the more quantity they will need to get pain relief.

Because the brain alters its functioning due to Tramadol’s presence in the system, you can experience severe withdrawal symptoms when you abruptly stop using it, owing to the brain struggling to function in its absence.

How Neuropathy treatment relates to Tramadol?

Before discussing the relationship between Neuropathy treatment and Tramadol, it is essential to understand what Neuropathy is and its symptoms?

Neuropathy pain is different from the usual discomfort you feel in your body. It is a syndrome that can cause a person to experience the following symptoms:

·         Abnormal sensitivity to pain-free stimuli

·         Burning sensation in the body

·         High sensitivity to painful stimuli

Nerve damage is a common cause that leads to Neuropathic pain.

Researchers find that treatment with Tramadol can significantly help reduce the Neuropathic pain in a person. Various studies point to the reliability of Tramadol when used against Neuropathy syndrome. However, there are contradicting studies indicating that there isn’t much evidence for proclaiming Tramadol as an effective treatment for Neuropathy.

Though the results aren’t conclusive, researchers are conducting trials to further assess Tramadol’s viability in managing Neuropathic pain in the human body.

Is Tramadol a controlled substance?

Due to people using Tramadol for a purpose not recommended by doctors, the DEA classified this drug as a Controlled Substance under the Controlled Substances Act. There is no exception to this rule in the entire United States, which means the DEA strictly monitor the production and distribution of this drug in the US.

This move helped curb the illicit use of this drug, and now people only buy Tramadol when they require it only after consulting a doctor.