Tramadol (Ultram)

There is a new type of non-narcotic oral pain medication that can be prescribed to treat low back pain. Tramadol (Ultram) acts centrally (in the brain) to modulate the sensation of pain and has no anti-inflammatory effect. It is a stronger pain reliever than acetaminophen, but probably not as strong as the narcotic agents. Ultram is often a good option for treatment of low back pain because patients do not build up a tolerance with extended usage and there is a very low incidence of addiction. ULTRAM has been studied in three long-term controlled trials involving a total of 820 patients, with 530 patients receiving ULTRAM. Patients with a variety of chronic painful conditions were studied in double-blind trials of one to three months duration. Average daily doses of approximately 250 mg of ULTRAM in divided doses were generally comparable to five doses of acetaminophen.