THE MENACE USE OF TRAMADOL

THE MENACE USE OF TRAMADOL

The rate of abuse of drugs has taken a center stage as abusers of drug has found tramadol a drug worth abusing.

Drugs like acetaminophen (paracetamol), diclofenac is well known to be abused by the Ghanaian populace for reasons best known to themselves; with liver poisoning (hepatitis-induced acetaminophen poisoning), intestinal bowel disease complications of such abuse respectively.

The new addition to the numerous agent of abuse “Tramadol” is worth discussing.

On the subject of pain relief one should not tolerate pain till the pain gets out of hand before resorting to pain relieving medication.

Most of the pain relievers fail to administer their pharmacological effect when such is the case. Such practices is as bad as abusing drugs as you will need more than necessary medications to control severely complicated pain.

And the mere fact that pain should not be under treated is not a call to abusing pain medications.

Interestingly untreated pain causes all round system damage; from the pain process, pain transduction, transmission, perception and modulation have the various pain relieving medications working effectively at each stage.

Unknowingly when pain is left unattended to, the sufferer may have an organ damage at any one of the pain process module; pain transduction- tissues and nerves, pain transmission-dorsal horn of the spinal cord, pain perception-brain cortex, and pain modulation-brain stem.

Constant untreated pain aggravates nociceptive pain to neuropathic pain from misfiring of nerves. It will be an error not to support pain suppression and control.

To have said these, it is a shame that a drug (tramadol) intended to treat moderate to severe pain has become an agent of abuse for youth of today.

The pharmacological efficacy intended for tramadol is to increase the modulation of the brain stem in producing endogenous opioids, norepinephrine, and serotonin.

Of course there happen to be another coined benefit as abusers benefit positively to engage in social vices. The sad story is any abuse of tramadol is an actual and potential killer in no time.

Most opiod-like narcotics just as “tramadol” has the potential to suppress the respiratory centre of the brain causing disturbances in breathing.

To the surprise of many, abusers confuse this to the euphoric state most substances of abuse causes.

Quite a number of lives have been lost through tramadol abuse which is disheartening

“Tramadol” is a centrally acting opioid-like narcotic and should be properly dispensed in our hospitals, pharmacies and chemical shops. A prescribed dosage of 50mg-250mg is the required minimum to maximum dose that should be taken per oral to achieve its pharmacological effect.

The abusers of tramadol take in excess of 400mg to achieve the acclaimed reasons such as energy boost for work, strength and power for continued sexual intercourse and other varied reasons.

These reasons are only true should tramadol be abused which in turn cause debilitating consequences. One can have enough sleep and be in a good mental state to achieve the same reasons.

Coupled with the energy it provides comes the shock most abusers will not like to hear; it usually causes a possible respiratory centre blockage resulting in disturbed breathing pattern like that seen in kussmaul breathing.

Abusers of tramadol should be cautioned to desist from alcohol intake since taken concurrently has shown to cause many irreversible deaths.

The latter is known to be a central nervous system depressant whiles the former is antagonist (a good central nervous stimulant). The resultant compensatory mechanism to make room for the various chemical equilibrium is compromised resulting in an almost irreversible cardiac and respiratory attack claiming precious lives.

It is therefore imperative and a good attempt for custom officers who seized and prevented two trucks full of tramadol entry into the country.

The population of Ghana is still youthful, we are therefore faced with the challenge of” identity confusion and isolation”. We have to accept this challenge to strengthen us in making a positive impact and not to fall in to the hands of abusing drugs.

Tramadol as effective in treating moderate to severe pain can effectively succeed in turning you to be fertilizer to a cocoa soil when abused.

Learn to say no to unprescribed tramadol.

                                                                                                      ALBERT AMAGYEI

                                                                                                      Albertamagyei76@gmail.com