Common opioid is not that effective for easing chronic pain, study finds

According to manufacturer records, the new study says, nearly 12 million daily doses of tramadol were consumed worldwide from 1990 to 2009. George Frey/Reuters

Tramadol, a potent synthetic opioid, has been widely used to treat moderate to severe pain, but a new study suggests that the medication’s potential risks outweigh its “limited” benefits for chronic pain and that the use of it should be minimized.

The study, published Tuesday in the journal BMJ Evidence-Based Medicine, found that tramadol may have a “slight effect” on reducing chronic pain, but there appears to be low evidence.

“The findings indicate that the benefits of tramadol are questionable or, at the very least, uncertain. Furthermore, evidence suggests the presence of potentially harmful effects,” Dr. Janus Jakobsen, le