Opioids have been used as pain relievers for very ancient times for almost a thousand years. They are known to alter the way our body reacts to the pain and ultimately provide a soothing effect. To date, they have been used as the first line of treatment for minor pain to severe pain. Among the family of Opioids, Hydrocodone and Tramadol are two types of pain relievers used to achieve the same purpose. Despite belonging to the same family of drugs and being used for the same purpose, several factors lead to the discussion on the topic of Hydrocodone vs Tramadol. In this blog, we will discuss more of the differences between these two opioids and understand in detail what makes them apart from each other.
Understanding The Difference Between Hydrocodone and Tramadol
What are Hydrocodone and Tramadol?
Hydrocodone, also known as dihydrocodeinone, is believed to have been developed in Germany in 1920 as a cough suppressant. It is derived from natural compounds found in opium poppies. In recent days, it has been widely used as an analgesic. The liquid form of Hydrocodone is used to treat cough by decreasing the action in the part of the brain that causes coughing. It helps to tackle pain by blocking the pain signal and ultimately altering the way the body responds to pain.
Tramadol is created in a laboratory and is used for the treatment of chronic as well as moderate to moderately severe pain. It is best for people with low tolerance for other heavy Opioids. It is available in the form of a tablet as well as a solution. Tramadol is an Opioid analgesic that acts on the central nervous system for pain relief. Prolonged use of this drug can cause dependence and result in addiction. This drug is available in various forms, like capsules, solutions, tablets, and suspensions.
What is The Difference Between Hydrocodone vs Tramadol?
Both Hydrocodone and Tramadol, as discussed, are Opioid medications that are being used as a source to relieve pain. Despite being the same in various ways, Hydrocodone and Tramadol differ from each other in factors such as potency, their side effects, dosages, and which one is more suitable.
Potency
Drugs are often classified into schedules to represent their abuse and dependency potential. According to these, drugs are classified into 5 categories ranging from Schedule I to Schedule V. Hydrocodone vs tramadol potency can be derived by checking to which group of Schedule these two drugs belong. Tramadol is considered to be less potent than Hydrocodone because it is a Schedule IV opioid, i.e., it has the lowest chance of getting abused, while Hydrocodone is a Schedule II. Due to its high potency, Hydrocodone often leads to stronger side effects than Tramadol.
The more potent drugs tend to be more powerful than the less potent drugs. So, finding out which of these two drugs has more potency also answers our question: Tramadol vs Hydrocodone, which is stronger
Dosages
The prescribed doses of Hydrocodone and Tramadol will be different for different patients. Specifically in the case of Tramadol, the doses depend upon the level of pain of the patient. Follow the doctor’s instructions or the directions mentioned on the back of the label strictly, and do not change the doses according to your judgment.
Hydrocodone Dosage
- The starting dose for Hydrocodone should be 5-10 mg, i.e., 1 to 2 tablets every 4 to 6 hours. It must be swallowed at once and not chewed.
- The dose can be increased by 10 mg every 3 to 7 days, depending on the condition.
Tramadol Dosage
For chronic pain:
- Children (less than 12 years): Tramadol is not recommended for this category of children.
- Children (more than 12 years): The dose is determined by the doctor according to their condition.
- Adults: It is recommended to take 100 mg per day, and it can be increased if required by not more than 300 mg.
For moderate to severe pain:
- Children (less than 12 years): This drug is not recommended, and various other alternatives such as Acetaminophen and Ibuprofen are recommended.
- Children (12 years and older): This is also the same as in chronic pain, where it is recommended by doctors.
- Adults: 25 mg must be taken and can be increased if required by not more than 400 mg.
- Older people aged 75 years and above: The dose of 25 mg per day in the morning is recommended. People of this age group are given Hydrocodone in the form of a tablet.
Side Effects
Hydrocodone and Tramadol cause various common side effects, such as dry mouth, nausea, vomiting, dizziness, constipation, and itching. These symptoms do not pose much threat to life and are even easily treatable at home. Hydrocodone and Tramadol can have side effects of their own. For example, a person taking Hydrocodone can experience rashes and acid reflux, and similarly, with Tramadol, a person can experience sweating and difficulty sleeping. In addition to all these side effects, the most serious effect of both these drugs is that they can be addictive, and an overdose of these can even result in death.
Which is Better, Tramadol or Hydrocodone?
The term “better” refers to the way a medicine acts in our body and whether or not it can treat the patient. For a physician to decide between hydrocodone vs Tramadol for pain, they have to consider various factors, like the medical history, side effects, and tolerance level for the drugs, and then decide which drug is best suited according to the patient. These factors lead to the discussion about which is better, Hydrocodone or Tramadol. The main aim of the physician is to provide a drug that would work in the best way to cure their patient’s condition.
Hydrocodone is best for people with chronic pain who need immediate action. Opioid medications are known for their highly sedative nature, which can hamper daily life activities. Some people are not able to handle this highly sedative nature, which worsens their symptoms. Tramadol works best for such type of people due to its less potent making the person feel comfortable.
Can Hydrocodone and Tramadol Be Taken Together?
A physician never recommended taking Hydrocodone and Tramadol together at a time because Hydrocodone and Tramadol interaction leads to the risk of enhancing the sedative effects, such as sleepiness, lightheadedness, and dizziness. These symptoms affect daily life activities and can even harm the patient in a greater way. Both Hydrocodone and Tramadol are well-known narcotics that increase dependency in the people taking them. If they are taken together in any legal or illegal way, then it increases the tolerance level for the drugs in the body and therefore makes people addicted to them. This later results in various withdrawal symptoms.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Are children able to take Hydrocodone?
For children aged 18 years and below, Hydrocodone is never prescribed for them because it causes various respiratory problems like slow breathing, reduced intake of oxygen, and several other life-threatening symptoms, which can even lead to death.
Is Hydrocodone effective for long-term treatment?
No doctor does not usually recommends hydrocodone for long-term treatment because the side effects and withdrawal symptoms produced as a result have a very low chance of being cured.
Does Hydrocodone and Tramadol show up the same on a drug test?
Hydrocodone and Tramadol do not show up on a standard drug test because Hydrocodone is a standard opioid, and it only shows up if the limit is exceeded, and Opioid requires specialized tests to be able to detected.
Conclusion
At the end, we can conclude that both Hydrocodone and Tramadol serve their purpose very well by being effective pain relievers, and the patient chooses from among them according to their needs. Both Hydrocodone and Tramadol, if used according to the prescription and not misused, would be the best option for people to choose from.