Tramadol vs Codeine for Pain Management

Pain control is an important aspect of medical treatment. People experience pain in a variety of ways, from acute discomfort to chronic suffering. Physicians may frequently utilize a range of medicines to relieve pain, including Tramadol and Codeine. Both these drugs effectively manage moderate to severe pain. Codeine belongs to the family of opiate analgesics, while Tramadol is a synthetic opioid. Opiates are medications and obtained directly from opium (such as morphine, codeine, and heroin), whereas opioids are a large class of opiate analogues with morphine-like properties.

In this blog, we will look into the main differences between Tramadol and Codeine, how they function, their adverse effects, precautions and other information regarding Tramadol and Codeine in pain management.

Comparison Between Tramadol and Codeine

Both these medications relieve moderate to severe pain, but they work differently and have different adverse effects. Besides, codeine acts as a cough suppressant. Codeine is sourced from the poppy plant like other narcotics, whereas Tramadol is synthetic.

The best option is determined by the nature and severity of your pain, any underlying medical issues, and your unique tolerance to drugs.

Understanding Pain Management with Tramadol and Codeine

Tramadol – A prescription only drug and a member of the narcotic drug class. Usually, this is recommended when pain is severe and over-the-counter drugs like ibuprofen fail to work. Doctors may often recommend this medicine after surgery or to treat ailments like sciatica neuropathic pain or persistent back pain.

Codeine – This is a pain-relieving drug that relieves mild to moderate pain. It falls under the category of narcotic analgesics drug class. When taken for a long time, it develops into a habit and can lead to mental dependence.

Mechanisms of Action of Both Drugs

Tramadol – By restricting their reuptake in the brain, it raises their levels and this disrupts the body’s pain signals. It acts on the central nervous system (CNS) directly.

The 2 complementary actions–opioid receptor agonism and monoamine reuptake inhibition– is what makes tramadol stand out from other painkillers. Normally this drug relieves pain after 1 hour of taking. In its fast form it includes:

• Drop
• Injection
• Formulation of tablet and capsule

Slow-release or extended-release (ER) form can take 12 to 24 hours but the pain lasts longer.

Codeine – It acts directly on the central nervous system (CNS), thereby blocking the pain signals travelling to different parts of the body. As soon as the medicine inhibits pain, slow or shallow breathing is likely to result. The liver converts codeine into morphine, the active substance, when it enters the body. In addition to relieving pain and coughing, morphine might cause adverse effects in certain individuals.

Medical Uses

Tramadol – Since it is an opioid drug, the drug acts directly on the CNS. Hence, the way the brain processes pain will immediately change. Doctors use it for moderate to moderately severe pain in adults, including after surgery pain.

• Children below 12 years of age or below the age of 18 with breathing problems should avoid this drug.
• Extended-release tramadol (Ultram ER) should not be administered to children below 18 years.

Codeine – It is a strong analgesic and cures mild to moderate pain. Also used to decrease coughing. Normally taken with other drugs like acetaminophen, in prescription pain medicines

Dosage Forms & Strengths

Tramadol

Among the various formulations of this medicine are IR tablet, ER capsule and oral solution. The medicine’s strengths are listed below:

IR Tablet

• 25 mg
• 50 mg
• 100 mg

ER Capsule

• 100 mg
• 150 mg
• 200 mg
• 300 mg

Oral Solution

5 mg/mL and many more.

Codeine

The medicine is available in oral tablet, oral suspension. Here is a list of some dosage strengths of this medicine.

Tablet

• 15mg
• 30mg
• 60mg

Oral Suspension

• 30 mg/mL

Effectiveness of Tramadol and Codeine in Pain Relief

Tramadol – This medicine is quite effective to relieve pain that is severe enough to need opioid treatment, as well as when other painkillers were ineffective or intolerable. Extended-release pills or capsules are used to treat persistent, chronic pain.

Codeine – It provides relief from acute to severe pain. This is a part of the family of narcotic analgesics and the drug acts on the central nervous system to give comfort from pain. Long term use of this drug can lead to serious complications like drug dependency and withdrawal symptoms.

Side Effects of Tramadol and Codeine

Tramadol Side Effects: Both medicines treat pain, but they come with their own side effects. A few adverse effects of Tramadol include:

• Dry mouth
• Nervousness
• Indigestion
• Low energy
• Nausea
• Headaches
• Constipation
• Feeling sick
• Vomiting
• Sweating
• Hives
• Itching
• Breathing problems
• Low cortisol levels
• Loss of appetite
• A slow heart rate
• Feeling lightheadedness
• Convulsions
• Breathing that stops during sleep
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Not feeling hungry
• Dizziness
• Tiredness

Codeine Side Effects: Some mild to serious adverse effects of this medicine are provided here.

• A feeling of drowsiness
• Relaxed and calm feeling
• Agitation
• Bloating
• blurred vision
• Cold, clammy skin
• Constipation
• Confusion
• Cough
• Urine that is dark
• Skin darkening
• Diarrhea
• Breathing difficulty
• Swallowing difficulty
• Dizziness
• Fas & weak pulse
• Overdose symptoms
• Bluish lips or skin
• Chest discomfort
• Small pupils
• Awareness or responsiveness that is low

Precautions When Using Tramadol and Codeine

Here are some safety measures that help you to maintain your overall health condition.

• Avoid the use of alcohol; it can cause dangerous side effects or even death.
• Before you know the action of tramadol, stay away from driving and other risky activities. Drowsiness can lead to serious injuries, falls, or accidents.
• Tramadol medicine bears a risk of addiction particularly when used for an extended period of time due to its opioid-like characteristics.
• Tramadol can lower the seizure threshold, therefore persons who have a history of seizures should avoid taking it for pain management. For the same reason, tramadol cannot be used with monoamine oxidase inhibitors, an earlier class of antidepressants.
• Codeine may influence breathing issues related to sleep for example sleep apnea and hypoxemia. If you suffer sleep apnea (brief intervals of not breathing while sleeping) while taking this medication, your doctor may reduce your dose.
• Do not take these with the combination of any other medication for pain unless your doctor has prescribed it.

Tramadol and Codeine: Which One Works Better?

Depending on the nature of pain – mild to moderate or severe pain each of the drugs works in a unique manner. Codeine is an opiate, while tramadol is a synthetic opioid. Codeine treats pain as well as cough whereas tramadol treats only pain.

Lesser risk of respiratory depression and constipation are known to occur with the use of Tramadol than codeine, but it has an increased risk of serotonin toxicity.

Conclusion

Tramadol and Codeine are two different medicines which are mainly prescribed by healthcare experts for treating different kinds of pain whether it is severe pain or moderate one.

In this article, we discussed the basics of tramadol and codeine medications as well as their differences in terms of adverse effects. All of this information will undoubtedly help you make the right decision.