Tramadol For Headache - Tramadol is a relatively mild opioid-like analgesic. Many of the analgesics currently used for tension headache contain caffeine, or are anti-inflammatories. Tramadol avoids the problems inherent with these compounds.
My retrospective assessment of the efficacy and safety of tramadol use in tension headache yielded 245 patients (treated from 1996 to 2003). The analysis revealed that 55% of patients initially felt that tramadol relieved their tension headache. However, over time only 28% of patients remained on the medication. The majority of the patients discontinued the medication due to declining efficacy. The most common adverse advents were: dizziness, fatigue, and increased headache.
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| Tramadol For Headache |
Tramadol has been marketed as relatively nonaddicting. I have heard, from various members of the Ortho-McNeil marketing team, that tramadol addiction ranges from "1 in 10,000 to 1 in 100,000". We have witnessed erroneous aggressive marketing of addictive medications in the past. Examples of this include the marketing of butorphanol (Stadol) nasal spray by Bristol-Myers Squibb Company in the early 1990’s,1 and more recently the marketing of Oxycontin by Purdue Pharma L.P.. These were more powerful medications than tramadol, with a significant incidence of serious adverse advents. (In the case of butorphanol, the drug was released by the FDA as non-scheduled, and instructions were issued to the company to perform thorough postmarketing follow-up. This was not accomplished.)
One 1999 postmarketing study did address tramadol abuse.2 It revealed that 97% of abuse cases occurred among individuals with a history of substance abuse. However, further follow-up on tramadol abuse has been very limited. In my current study, 7 patients had a withdrawal syndrome, or overused tramadol. An internet search revealed a number of law offices advertising for patients who have become addicted to tramadol. If even one or two percent of patients overuse or abuse tramadol, it is much more than what Ortho-McNeil acknowledges.
I have raised the addiction issue with Ortho-McNeil representatives, regional scientists, and the medical information department. The representatives and regional scientists have responded to my questions in a very appropriate manner. They do indicate that they realize the potential for addiction is far greater with tramadol than the company will allow them to officially state. My calls to the medical information department at Ortho- McNeil have met with resistance. They should be more forthcoming about the true addiction potential of tramadol.
Understanding Tramadol
Tramadol is a prescription medication that is often recommended for the treatment of pain conditions. This medication is unique in the sense that pharmaceutical and medical researchers are not 100 percent sure of how Tramadol interacts with pain and provides relief. Tramadol is an opioid analgesic, but it also has certain effects that conform to serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake-inhibiting (SSRI) medications.
Emergency rooms in many parts of the world keep injectable Tramadol in stock for patients who report moderate pain. Patients who suffer from chronic migraines may be prescribed Tramadol as part of a reactive pain management strategy. This means that migraine patients who experience headache episodes preceded by auras more than twice a month are the most likely to benefit from Tramadol.
Two of the names used to market Tramadol include Ultram and Uiltracet. The latter also contains acetaminophen, which is an over-the-counter analgesic often recommended for the treatment of migraines as well. In a 2005 study performed by researchers of Jefferson Medical College in Philadelphia, the effectiveness of Ultracet among migraine patients was confirmed under a randomized trial study that included placebos. The findings of the study determined that Ultracet is an effective medication for the treatment of:
- Chronic migraine headache episodes
- Migraine-induced sensitivity to light
- Migraine-induced sensitivity to sound
Based on the findings above, migraine patients who are prescribed Ultracet can take the recommended dosage as soon as they feel the unpleasant onset of an aura. The pain-relieving effects of Tramadol are felt by most patients within an hour of taking the medication.
Side Effects of Tramadol
Despite the effectiveness of Tramadol as a medication to treat migraine episodes, Ultracet does nothing to relieve the feelings of nausea experience by many patients. In fact, Tramadol could actually cause feelings of dizziness, nausea and vertigo. The feelings of euphoria and lack of focus reported by the British Sky Team rider may also be experienced by some migraine patients. Since Tramadol works in a fashion similar to SSRI antidepressants, some patients may develop a physical dependency that can be managed with treatment.
Source :
www.chicagoheadacheclinic.com
www.blog.themigrainereliefcenter.com
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