Is Tramadol An Opiate?

With the plethora of synthetic drugs in the market today, classifications can get confusing. Knowing whether something is an opiate, an opiate-agonist, or a different class of narcotic altogether is a difficult task for many people – but unfortunately, this knowledge can have serious effects on health consequences. Recently, we’ve been getting a lot of questions about Tramadol – the active ingredient in Ultram. For this article, we’re going to talk about whether Tramadol is an opiate, why it’s classified that way, and what that means for you.

About Tramadol

Tramadol is a centrally acting synthetic analgesic – which means, essentially, that it’s a human-made drug designed to relieve pain. Without getting too deep into the neurochemistry, it does this by binding to opioid receptors and preventing the reuptake of neurotransmitters like serotonin and norepinephrine. If you’re familiar with the chemical actions of opioids, then by now, this story should start to sound pretty familiar.

So is Tramadol an opiate? Yes and no. While it doesn’t fit the specifications to be an opiate analgesic through and through, Tramadol acts in much the same way as conventional opiates – so while it may not be an opiate in taxonomy, it is one in action.

So what does this mean for you? It means that for all intents and purposes, you should consider Tramadol an opiate. When prescribed in a clinical setting it can be a wonderful pain reliever, but if used in high doses over an extended period of time, or abused in a non-prescription environment, Tramadol is highly addictive and can cause physical dependence and withdrawal symptoms.

More Questions?

Do you have more questions about or Ultram, or want to find out more about our rapid detox program? We’re here to help. If you have questions or need help, speak with an expert confidentially today.

Contact us today: 1-888-987-4673 or [email protected].