It’s no secret that the United States is struggling with a deadly drug problem. But according to one scientist, there is a certain painkiller that is taking more lives than even heroin.
Northern Ireland’s state pathologist Professor Jack Crane says that a medication called Tramadol is to blame for taking even more lives than illegal street drugs. You might know Tramadol as its brand names – Ultram or ConZip. The physician-recommended prescription medication works similar to an opiate. It’s typically prescribed for pain relief.
Tramadol works in the brain, specifically on the focal sensory system. It changes how the body feels and reacts to pain. While the painkiller is effective if taken as prescribed, the problem arises when patients mix the prescription drug with alcohol or other medications. Specialists in Northern Ireland connected 33 deaths to Tramadol just last year.
Crane explained, “I don’t imagine that individuals acknowledge how conceivably hazardous taking Tramadol is. I believe this is on account of it’s a doctor prescribed medication – individuals accept it’s safe.”
Tramadol’s Side Effects
While rare, Tramadol has a long list of possible side effects. Reactions to the medication can include:
- Vomiting
- Dizziness
- Severe stomach torment
- Fainting
- Rashes, tingling or swelling
- Constipation
- Headaches
- Hallucinations
- Difficulty Urinating
- Loss of hunger
- Seizure
- Slow or shallow breaths
Patients who take Tramadol are becoming more and more dependent on its ability to relive pain, much like opiods. If Tramadol is taken excessively, a patient can become both physically and mentally reliant on the drug. Deaths from Tramadol are occurring mainly from patients mixing the drug with other medications or substances. In 2014 in Northern Ireland, Tramadol was renamed and made illicit without a prescription. Many scientists such as Crane are now pushing for stricter limitations on the dangerous drug.
Watch the video below for more information: