When it comes to pain management, doctors and patients always choose opioids as pain relievers. In that case, the most used painkillers by doctors are Tramadol and Percocet. Are you wondering which is stronger, Tramadol or Percocet? Then this blog is for you. This blog aims to help you understand the difference between Tramadol vs Percocet, what the harmful side effects are, and can you take Tramadol and Percocet together or not. Tramadol and Percocet are opioid medications used to treat patients facing mild to severe pain. Even if they belong to a similar drug class, they are pretty different from each other on the basis of various factors. Let’s understand what those are.
Tramadol and Percocet: Mechanism, Difference, and Side Effects
What Is Tramadol?
When non-opioid medicines do not work effectively to treat the condition in the patient’s body, Tramadol is used as a painkiller to help patients with mild to severe pain. The pain can be caused naturally or after a surgery. As Tramadol is an opioid, it works on opioid receptors in the nervous system by boosting the serotonin levels, which cancels the pain signals from the brain to the body. It is a weaker opioid than the other opioids in the market, but it works effectively like the other opioid medicines. It works as an antidepressant, which helps the brain to feel and respond to the pain signal in other ways.
What Is Percocet?
When less effective painkillers do not work for the pain condition, then Percocept is given as a higher dose for pain management. It is a combination type medicine which contains Acetaminophen, which is a non-opioid that works as a painkiller drug as well as reduces the effect of fever, and Oxycodone, a highly effective semi-synthetic opioid. As it contains oxycodone, which has a chance of increasing dependence and addiction, it is taken only for a short period of time. Percocet works by affecting the pain signals in the nervous system. It also affects the brain chemicals to increase the positive feeling of well-being being pleasure, and relaxation.
What is the Difference Between Tramadol and Percocet?
Generally, Tramadol and Percocet come under the opioid drug category, but the main difference between them is determined based on their strength and working process. Let’s understand how does Tramadol compared to Percocet.
| Parameters | Tramadol | Percocet |
| Drug Class | It is a single type of opioid. | It is a combination type of opioid. |
| Active Agents | Tramadol | Oxycodone and acetaminophen |
| Strength | It is weaker than Percocet | It is stronger than Tramadol |
| How it Works | Binds opioid receivers and boosts serotonin levels. | Binds mu-opioid receivers. |
| On Set of Action | Slower, showing action around 10 hours. | Faster, with effects around 2 hours. |
| Half-life | It has a longer half-life of 5 to 6 hours. | It has a shorter half-life of 4 hours. |
| Controlled Substance Class | Schedule II | Schedule IV |
| Seizure Risk | Higher risk for patients with a seizure history | Lower risk |
| Risk of Abuse | Lower chances of abuse | Higher chances of Abuse |
Side Effects of Tramadol Vs Percocet
Every medicine has some benefits and side effects. Both Tramadol and Percocet have some similar and different side effects, which can cause drug addiction and drug interactions with other drugs. Liver and kidney damage, mental health issues, difficulty in breathing while sleeping, hyperalgesia, memory problems, and a weaker immune system. Some of the common side effects of Tramadol and Percocet are;
- Nausea
- High blood pressure
- Drowsiness
- Vomiting
- Itchy skin
- Abdominal Pain
- Headache
- Dizziness
- Sweating
- Yellow eyes
- Black stools
- Breath odor
Can You Take Tramadol and Percocet Together?
In some cases, rarely, doctors might ask you to use both Tramadol and Percocet. It happens only for the patients whose bodies do not respond to one medicine alone. As both medicines are effective and powerful in their own way, mixing these two drugs can be harmful. Because both drugs are opioids, opioids are anti-depressants which work by depressing the central nervous system. If the opioid drug is consumed in higher doses, then it can lead to severe conditions full of risks, such as breathing issues, kidney or liver damage, and maybe death. Hence, mixing these two drugs should be done only when it is permitted by the doctor with careful supervision.
Drug interactions
Drug interaction is nothing but the interaction or overlapping of two drugs that are not compatible with each other. So you should be careful while taking Tramadol and Percocet. Because mixing any drugs that are not compatible with Tramadol and Percocet can cause harm to your body.
Drugs that interact with Tramadol are:
- Gabapentin
- Xanax
- Adderall
- Benadryl
- Celebrex
- Flexeril
- Lexapro
- Norco
- MiraLXA
- CYMbalta
Drugs that interact with Percocet are:
- Lyrica
- Metoprolol
- Ambien
- Cetrizine
- Danazol
- Cyclobenzaprine
- Iisinopril
- Tizanidine
- Zofran
There are some common drugs that can interact with both Tramadol and Percocet; they are alcohol, abametapir topical, baclofen, cimetidine, etc. So, always talk to your doctor before taking any medications.
Alternatives to Tramadol And Percocet
Not everyone can adjust to every drug that is suggested by the doctors. Similarly, some people can not adjust to tramadol and Percocet for reasons like allergy, digestive issues, or low effectiveness, etc. So they can go for other effective alternatives available in the market. Let’s see what those are:
Alternatives to Tramadol are:
- Aleve
- CYMbalta
- Celebrex
- Belbuca
- Diclofenac
Alternatives to Percocet are:
Frequently Asked Questions(FAQs)
Is Percocet stronger than Tramadol?
Yes, Percocet is a stronger medication than Tramadol because Percocet takes a few minutes to get dissolved in the bloodstream and shows its effect within 2 hours.
Tramadol vs Percocet: Which is stronger?
Both are effective in different ways. If the patient is in pain due to any injury or acute health condition, then tramadol can be the best choice. But if the patient is in pain due to any huge health condition like cancer, then Percocet is the best choice.
How can I manage pain without using Tramadol and Percocet together?
There are various medications and natural options available for pain relief treatment. In case of medication, you can ask your doctors to prescribe other medications according to your requirements. In case of natural ways to deal with pain, you can do heat and cold therapy, massage, exercise, and yoga.
Final Words
So in the end, we hope this blog is helpful for you to understand the basic difference between Tramadol vs Percocet. These two medicines respond to pain in different ways. The how tramadol and Percocet are different that is based on the strength and effectiveness. But can you mix tramadol and Percocet, or which is the better option to treat pain? That is dependent on the patient’s health condition. So, always take a doctor’s advice before taking Tramadol or Percocet.