{"id":628562,"date":"2024-06-11T11:57:39","date_gmt":"2024-06-11T15:57:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/blog\/?p=628562"},"modified":"2025-09-18T14:17:49","modified_gmt":"2025-09-18T18:17:49","slug":"does-tramadol-help-with-inflammation","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/blog\/does-tramadol-help-with-inflammation\/","title":{"rendered":"Does tramadol help with inflammation?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Pain in the body often goes hand in hand with inflammation. That\u2019s why many people are looking for a medication that can knock out both pain and inflammation at the same time.<\/span> Tramadol<\/span><\/a> is a well-known, powerful pain medication. But does tramadol help with inflammation? Tramadol isn’t an anti-inflammatory but can be combined with NSAIDs to address both pain and inflammation.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Is tramadol an anti-inflammatory drug?<\/span><\/h2>\n

Tramadol<\/span><\/a> is not classified as an anti-inflammatory drug. \u201cWhile tramadol is indicated as a second-line agent for pain management, it does not possess anti-inflammatory properties,\u201d says <\/span>Reema Hammoud, Pharm.D., BCPS, AVP Clinical Pharmacy at<\/span> Sedgwick<\/span><\/a>. As such, while it\u2019s useful for managing pain, tramadol is not used for inflammation, and it\u2019s not for use in pain conditions where inflammation is the primary concern, <\/span>Hammoud<\/span> says.<\/span><\/p>\n

A 2018 paper published in the<\/span> Journal of Pharmacology & Clinical Toxicology<\/span><\/i><\/a> reviewed data on tramadol to explore if it has anti-inflammatory properties. Researchers reviewed all available data and concluded that there is no evidence of any noteworthy anti-inflammatory effects of tramadol.<\/span><\/p>\n

Tramadol was available as brand-name Ultram until 2023. Today, it is sold under the brand name<\/a> Conzip and also in generic form. In 2014, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (<\/span>FDA<\/span><\/a>) approved it to treat cases of moderate to severe pain. Tramadol is often prescribed by healthcare providers to treat advanced cancer pain, postoperative pain, trauma, and intractable pain caused by disease, according to <\/span>Dr. Thomas Pontinen<\/span><\/a>, a double-board-certified anesthesiologist and pain management specialist.<\/span><\/p>\n

Tramadol is a potent pain reliever and is prescribed when people aren\u2019t experiencing relief from first-line pain treatments, notes <\/span>Leia Rispoli, MD<\/span><\/a>, a double-board-certified interventional pain management specialist and physiatrist at<\/span> DISC Sports & Spine Center<\/span><\/a>. \u201cTypically, tramadol is used for acute pain that is severe and may involve a neuropathic source, meaning a pain that may be derived from nerve pain,\u201d Dr. Rispoli states.<\/span><\/p>\n

For the management of pain with inflammation, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (<\/span>NSAIDs<\/span><\/a>) are usually the first-line agents, says <\/span>Hammoud<\/span>. NSAIDs are available as both a prescription (in higher strengths) and over-the-counter. While tramadol isn\u2019t an NSAID, it can be taken with one. \u201cTramadol is safe to be taken together with standard anti-inflammatory medications such as NSAIDs,\u201d says Dr. Pontinen.<\/span><\/p>\n

Is tramadol an NSAID?<\/span>\u00a0<\/b><\/h2>\n

Many people wonder if tramadol is an NSAID. The answer is that tramadol is not an NSAID. Tramadol <\/span>is classified as an opioid analgesic<\/span><\/a>. It is classified as a <\/span>Schedule IV <\/span><\/a>controlled substance, according to the Controlled Substances Act. This means that it has a low risk of addiction compared to other controlled substances, but it still has the potential to be addictive and misused.<\/span><\/p>\n

Tramadol works by changing how the nervous system and brain respond to pain in the body. \u201cTramadol is an opioid\u2014a potent painkiller that produces its analgesic effect by blocking nociceptive afferent neurons and the release of neurotransmitters that cause nociception, such as substance P and glutamate,\u201d explains Dr. Pontinen.<\/span><\/p>\n

Tramadol is not similar to anti-inflammatory drugs or NSAIDs in terms of mechanism of action because \u201cThere are different mechanisms of action that work by binding to opioid receptors,\u201d Dr. Rispoli says. \u201cThere’s also a component of tramadol that is an SNRI, a serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor, which means that it increases the level of serotonin and norepinephrine in the brain and may have a role in helping with some of the nerve pain that we discussed earlier,\u201d notes Dr. Rispoli.<\/span><\/p>\n

RELATED: Toradol vs. tramadol<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

So what are NSAID drugs, then? NSAIDs are a group of medicines called anti-inflammatory drugs. They can be used to treat fever, inflammation, and pain.<\/span> Conditions frequently treated by NSAIDs<\/span><\/a> include muscle pain, sore throat, menstrual pain, arthritis pain, gout, and migraines. NSAIDs work by \u201cinhibiting cyclooxygenase (COX), the enzyme that produces prostaglandins,\u201d Dr. Pontinen explains. \u201cTwo involved COX isoenzymes produce prostaglandins that have antagonistic (pain-relieving) effects on the body.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Examples of<\/span> commonly used NSAIDs include<\/span><\/a>:<\/span><\/p>\n