Can you take Paracetamol with Tramadol?

What is Tramadol?

Tramadol is an oral tablet that alleviates pain symptoms in the body. Doctors often prescribe this tablet after surgery. It is a prescription drug you can find as an immediate-release and extended-release tablet. Both of these Tramadol oral tablets can be seen as generic drugs. The immediate-release tablet is available under the brand-name drug Ultram. It is important to note that Tramadol is a controlled substance, meaning you should only use it when necessary, as it has addictive properties. 

One of the key factors about Tramadol is that it can be used as part of combination therapy. It is the type of treatment where you use various medications simultaneously without any risk of interactions. Tramadol belongs to a drug class called opioid agonists. A class of drugs is a group of medications that work similarly. These drugs are used to treat similar conditions.

How does Tramadol work?

Tramadol works by altering the way the brain senses pain. Tramadol is considered to be similar to substances in your brain known as endorphins. Endorphins bind to receptors – the part of cells that receive a particular substance. These receptors are responsible for decreasing the messages containing pain your body sends to your brain. In essence, Tramadol affects the central nervous system. It reduces feelings of pain by disrupting the way nerves signal the feeling of pain between the brain and the body.

Tramadol’s interactions with other medications

Although we can use Tramadol as a part of combination therapy, it can still interact with various medications, vitamins, or herbs. Interaction refers to when the effect of a drug alters due to the presence of other medicines. Interactions can prove to be harmful or prevent the drug from working as well.

To help avoid interactions, it is essential to inform your doctor of all the medications, vitamins, and herbs you are currently on – whether they are prescribed or not. 

Can I take Paracetamol with Tramadol?

You can take Tramadol with various over-the-counter painkillers. In particular, paracetamol is safe to take with Tramadol. In addition to this, you can take ibuprofen or aspirin with Tramadol, too.

However, avoid everyday painkillers that contain codeine, as codeine works similarly to Tramadol. Also, do not take these pharmacy-bought painkillers with Tramadol because you may experience severe side effects as a result of it. 

Contraindictions of Tramadol

As mentioned, there are certain drugs that you should not combine with Tramadol. You may experience increased side effects and severe health complications if you do. Most of the medications that interact poorly with Tramadol are those that contain substances that have the same function as Tramadol. For instance, you should not use these drugs with Tramadol:

• Antibiotics, like Erythromycin
• Antidepressants like Amitriptyline
• Antifungal drugs, like Voriconazole or Ketoconazole
• Heart rhythm drugs, like Quinidine
• Protease inhibitors, like Ritonavir