A very powerful and highly effective drug, Tramadol is one of the most popular ones when it comes to suppressing the pain that stems from different conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis as well as some other similar conditions. But how does Tramadol work? What is the mechanism behind the effectiveness of this drug which has helped many people around the world?
In order to understand how exactly Tramadol works, you first need to understand what processes go on in your body. In fact, your body functions in a way that your brain and all the other organs are in constant communication. This happens when your organs send impulses, the so-called neurotransmitters through your nerves in which way they reach the brain and vice versa. Apart from these neurotransmitters, there are many other chemicals and receptors that go from your body to your brain and the other way round. What happens when you are in pain is actually that the receptors responsible for pain are sent through your nervous system and this is the way you feel it.
Now, Tramadol has the role of µ-opioid receptor agonist, norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor, serotonin releasing agent and many more. The way it acts as an analgesic is not fully understood, but it is considered that it binds to the µ-opioid receptors which are responsible for transmitting pain through your body. Apart from that, it also regulates the levels of serotonin and norepinephrine in your nervous system. These two chemicals are actually responsible for transmitting information from one cell to another and by inhibiting their secretion, actually their reuptake, the communication among the cells is somewhat inhibited as well. All this results in the decrease of the pain that you feel and eventually the pain goes away.
However, when you take more medication that it was originally prescribed to you, what happens is that your body will have some abnormal reactions to the amount of drug which it cannot take properly and in this way the risk of side effects is largely increased. This is why you should never take higher dosages than prescribed. In case you feel like your drug is not effective enough consult your doctor about it. Tramadol is a serious drug which affects your nervous system and you should not act irresponsibly when it comes to the way you should use it and the amounts you should take.
All in all, now that you understand the way this powerful drug works, you can be sure that there is no way it can harm your body when taken in normal and allowed amounts. Basically, it regulates the levels of some chemicals responsible for transmitting messages through your body and in this way it blocks the pain caused by the condition you suffer from. It is very important that you take the Tramadol exactly as prescribed for if you do otherwise, it will result either in its decreased effectiveness or in occurrence of some side effects. So, listen to your doctor and enjoy your life without pain.