Tramadol and morphine are both commonly used for post surgery pain and discomfort, but the main differences lie within the strength of the drugs, and the side effects that are obtained from them. Tramadol is a much weaker pain medication when compared to morphine, equally about 10:1. This means that 10 times the amount of tramadol must be given in order to equal the amount of pain relief that is achieved by one small dose of morphine. However, Tramadol is much more suited for young children, elderly people, and patients with any type of respiratory problems. Studies have shown that tramadol does not cause the breathing problems within these groups of people, but morphine does.
When it comes to the differences between tramadol and morphine, the first area that has to be considered is how potent morphine is. This medication is so strong that many times people who are not tolerant to other opiates cannot handle this drug so tramadol will be given instead. Morphine is also much more addictive because of this potency, so problems from drug withdrawals can easily occur after the patient has been released from the hospital. Regardless of this, though, people of average age and in good health receive this medication because it is effective in low doses for high levels of pain and discomfort.
The difference between tramadol and morphine, when it comes to tramdol, is that it has no negative side effects for people with respiratory problems. People that have thoughts of suicide are not allowed to take this drug, though, because it increases those desires to a point where action may be taken on the feelings. This drug also has, in a few cases, been shown to cause seizures, so people with epilepsy should avoid it. The benefits of this drug are comparable to morphine at higher amounts, but it only works for mild or moderate pain.
People after surgery can easily benefit from either medication. The difference between these substances is that tramadol is better in specific causes as long as the pain is not at an unbearable level. Morphine, on the other hand, works for any amount of pain levels, but it can cause respiratory complications in people who already have problems in these areas. When it comes to the difference between tramadol and morphine, it usually comes down to the amount of pain that the patient feels, and the specifics of each case.