Tramadol is a strong opiate (narcotic) analgesic. It is used to treat patients with chronic pain due to surgery, TMJ disorder, severe injury, or fibromyalgia. However, the medicine is not free of side effects like sedation and stomach issues.
“Does tramadol cause gastritis?” has become a common query among chronic pain patients.
The common side effects of tramadol include drowsiness, stomach upset, sedation. But, nowadays, people also complain about developing gastritis, which is a rare adverse effect of this medicine.
Is tramadol actually triggering gastritis, or may the reason lie somewhere else? I have rounded up all the possible information so that you can come to a solid conclusion about the side effects of this effective pain medication.
Table of Content
Does Tramadol Cause Gastritis?
The short answer is probably yes. It may cause gastritis. Gastritis is the inflammation of your stomach lining due to damage caused by digestive juices. If you have a weak stomach lining, getting gastritis is easy.
The symptoms of gastritis involve
- Vomiting
- Nausea
- Indigestion
- Abnormal Bloating
- Pain
Tramadol comprises both analgesic & SNRI properties. This Serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibiting property is responsible for gastrointestinal disorders.
Research showed that gastritis is the least common adverse effect of this medicine. So, if you develop gastritis, it is better to consider other factors that can contribute to flare up.
The factors you need to consider are
- Taking alcohol, cocaine
- Taking NSAIDs type of medication
- Stress
- Infection
- Helicobacter pylori (H.pylori) bacteria
But, how do you know either gastritis is a drug-induced or bacterial infestation?
The answer is simple. If the gastritis is due to tramadol, then you will experience all the common symptoms of gastritis like
- Upper abdominal discomfort or pain
- Loss of appetite
- Nausea
- Vomiting
On the other hand, if the reason is H.pylori, your stool will look black and tarry. It will be confirmed on stool examinations.
Moreover, you can stop taking tramadol to see whether the symptoms get improved or not. If tramadol is the real culprit, your stomach lining will begin to heal, and the symptoms will disappear.
Before doing all these, you must talk with your doctor. It will keep you safe from any further complications.
Can You Take Tramadol with Gastritis?
Tramadol works as a savior when other painkillers fail to reduce the intensity. But still, you will feel skeptical and ask does tramadol cause gastritis to your doctor because it does.
However, if you already have gastritis and having intolerable pain, can you still take tramadol with gastritis?
Fortunately, yes, you can! As it is a powerful analgesic, doctors suggest treating pain due to GI upsets, gastritis, or peptic ulcers. On top of that, it doesn’t make gastritis worse.
But, whatever the reason is for developing gastritis, it is quite difficult to live with this. Experiencing nausea, vomiting, GI upset, burning sensation in the stomach are enough to make your life like a nightmare.
How Can I Rebuild My Stomach Lining?
A weak stomach lining is one of the main reasons for getting gastritis. So it is obvious that strengthening the lining will be the first line of action while treating gastritis.
Before starting the treatment, it is imperative to know what triggers your symptoms. Because some treatment approaches just start with aiming to correct that particular cause. If you alone are unable to find out the reason, take the help of a doctor.
Commonly, most of the treatment aims to reduce stomach acid. Keeping the patient’s optimum benefit in mind, I include some best remedies here.
Modify Your Diet
When the lining of your stomach gets inflamed, you develop gastritis. To heal that poor lining, you should first avoid the foods that may irritate it.
- Alcohol
- Coffee
- Acidic Foods
- Fruit Juices
- Processed Foods
- Gluten
- Fatty Foods
- Fried Foods
- Dairy Products
- Sugary Foods
- Spicy Foods
- Carbonated Drinks
Also, if you’re allergic to certain foods, you must avoid them. Otherwise, they can trigger the symptoms. Keeping your meals light will be a great way to keep gastritis on the bay.
Does Smelly Stools Means Gastritis or Something Else?
Taking heavy foods rich in carbs may aggravate your symptoms. Instead, you can take smaller meals regularly over the day. It will make digestion and absorption easy.
Control H.pylori
If you develop Gastritis due to H.pylori, then take into account the following measures.
Try Probiotics
It increases good bacteria in your digestive tract. This little army then prevents the spread of H.pylori.
You can have the following probiotics enriched foods :
- Yogurt
- Kimchi
- Kombucha
- Sauerkraut
- Kefir
For easy-going, you can also try probiotic supplements.
Try Green Tea With Manuka Honey
Study shows that green tea prevents the growth of H.pylori.Besides, Manuka honey comprises antibacterial properties. When these two combine, the growth of this H.pylori falls significantly in your digestive tract.
Take A Garlic Extract Supplement
It would be very beneficial if you take garlic extract; it reduces the symptoms naturally. If you don’t like the smell of raw garlic, take it with peanut butter.
You can also have it wrapped in a dried date. Hopefully, these will help you mask the unwanted flavor.
Stop The Overuse Of Painkillers
You should avoid the overuse of painkillers. Because analgesics like aspirin, NSAIDs, Ibuprofen damage the stomach lining. They also worsen gastritis.
How to Keep the Pain Away without Tramadol
Now, you might be thinking – how to manage pain without taking painkillers? For them, I included a list of alternative measures that will keep you away from that annoying query of does tramadol cause gastritis.
Cold or Heat Compression
In some injuries, the cold compression works better, while in some, the hot compression does the job. Therefore, there are some cases when either heat or cold will do the job.
Apply cold compression to treat ankle sprain or shin splint type of injuries. In case of muscle strain, you must go with hot compression. It loosens the tissues, and you feel good in that particular field.
However, You can apply either one to treat back pain, muscle ache/spasms/pain, neck stiffness, or Knee pain.
Therapies
You can go for physical therapy, occupational therapy to minimize pain and restore the functionalities. There is also ultrasound therapy which promotes healing.
Apart from that, you can go with the FDA-approved pain-relieving therapy called Cold laser therapy.
Exercise, Yoga and Tai Chi
These are one of the most effective ways to manage pain. By doing them, you can heal from low back pain, arthritis, and fibromyalgia.
Disregarding the tips above, you can also take the help of Chiropractors, Acupuncture Pain-relieving devices, etc. They also help to reduce the pain to a great extent.
That means painkillers are not the only option to treat pain. There are tons of options available. On top of that, these alternatives don’t cause you side effects.
FAQ
Can Tramadol Cause Stomach Problems?
Yes! Commonly, you may experience stomach upset or constipation. These could be minimized by slowly raising the dose. Still, around 5% of users develop stomach upset at any dose of this medicine. So, they should not take this medicine. Rarely, people who are on tramadol reported developing gastritis or peptic ulcer.
Can Tramadol Give You Acid Reflux?
Tramadol is one of the most reliable medicines to treat severe pain. The harsh reality is it produces some unpleasant side effects like acid reflux, nausea, vomiting, sweating, etc.
How Long Does Tramadol Last?
In the case of fast-acting tramadol, you will see the difference within 30-60 minutes. But, it loses effectiveness within 4-6 hours.
On the flip side, short-acting tablets or capsules of tramadol take a day or two to show the results. But, it lasts longer.
Conclusions
Now you have got the answer to “does tramadol cause gastritis” or not. Besides, you know how to keep the stomach lining healthy to stay away from this annoying issue.
Hopefully, those steps will help you to get rid of unpleasant symptoms. But don’t wait if you are not feeling comfortable or confident. Consulting with a physician is always the best thing to do in any medical condition.
And don’t forget to share your experience in the comment section below!
