This popular painkiller may be causing you more harm than good— new study reveals heart-linked risks

New research suggests that popular and widely prescribed painkiller tramadol may not be as effective or harmless as you may think. An analysis of the available research claimed that tramadol is not that effective at easing chronic pain and likely increases the risk of serious side effects.

The analysis prompted the researchers to conclude that "the potential harms of tramadol probably outweigh its benefits". It also suggested that tramadol's use should be minimised.

The study was published in the BMJ Evidence-Based Medicine in October 2025.

What is Tramadol?

Tramadol, often seen as a " safer painkiller", is a dual-action opioid widely prescribed for the treatment of moderate to severe acute and chronic pain (after an operation or a serious injury). It is a strong painkiller from a group of medicines called opiates, or narcotics, according to the National Health Service (NHS) UK.

Tramadol is sold under brand names such as Maxitram, Marol, Zydol, Zamadol, Tramulief and Tramquel. It is also called by the brand names Invodol, Larapam, Mabron, Maneo, Oldaram, Tilodol, Tradorec and Zeridame.

It is available only by prescription and comes in tablet, capsule, and liquid drop forms. It can also be given by injection, but this is usually only done in hospitals.

Even NHS UK claims that tramadol does not stop the pain completely, “but you will not be able to feel it as much”.

Is tramadol addictive?

The NHS UK says it's possible to become addicted to tramadol. But doctors can explain how to reduce those risks.

“Approximately 60 million individuals worldwide experience the addictive effects of opioids. In 2019, drug use was responsible for approximately 600,000 deaths, with nearly 80% of these fatalities associated with opioids and approximately 25% resulting from opioid overdose," researchers said.

Why study tramadol?

Tramadol became one of the most commonly prescribed opioids in the US, possibly because of its perceived lower risk of side effects.

It's also believed that tramadol is "safer and less addictive than other short-acting opioids," researchers said, as per the official press release by the BMJ Group.

They also pointed to the lack of a comprehensive assessment of tramadol’s efficacy and safety in a range of chronic pain conditions.

To bridge this knowledge gap, the researchers analysed research databases for randomised clinical trials published up to February 2025 that compared tramadol with placebo (dummy treatment) for patients with chronic pain, including cancer pain.

The researchers concluded: “Tramadol may have a slight effect on reducing chronic pain [low certainty of evidence] while likely increasing the risk of both serious [moderate certainty of evidence] and non-serious adverse events [very low certainty of evidence]."

"The potential harms associated with tramadol use for pain management likely outweigh its limited benefits,” they said.

What did the BMJ study show? The side effects

The large analysis of clinical trials found that while tramadol does reduce chronic pain, the relief is modest, so negligible that many patients likely wouldn’t notice much real-world benefit.

Data analysis of the trial results by researchers showed that while tramadol eased pain, the effect was small and below what would be considered “clinically effective”.

The study also revealed a likely increase in the risk of serious side effects, including heart problems such as chest pain and heart failure, along with common issues such as nausea, dizziness, and sleepiness.

Statistical analysis of some trials indicated a "doubling in the risk of harms associated with tramadol...mainly driven by a higher proportion of ' cardiac events,’ such as chest pain, coronary artery disease, and congestive heart failure," the press release stated.

It further suggested that the use of tramadol was associated with a heightened risk of some cancers, “although the follow-up period was short, making this finding 'questionable”, the researchers said.

Tramadol treatment was also associated with a heightened risk of several milder side effects, including nausea, dizziness, constipation, and sleepiness, as revealed following the detailed analysis of all the trial results.

Another study in the BMJ had earlier advised federal governing bodies to consider reclassifying tramadol, and providers should use as much caution when prescribing tramadol in the setting of acute pain as for other short-acting opioids.

‘High risk of bias’ and study limits

The official statement by the BMJ group mentioned that the researchers acknowledged the high risk of bias in the outcome results.

"But this increases the likelihood that the findings overestimate the beneficial effects and underestimate the harmful effects of tramadol," they suggested.

Study methodology

As many as 19 clinical trials involving 6,506 participants with chronic pain were eligible for inclusion in the analysis.

Five looked at the impact of tramadol on neuropathic pain; nine focused on osteoarthritis; four looked at chronic low back pain; and one focused on fibromyalgia.

The average age of the trial participants was 58, but ranged from 47 to 69.

Tablets were the primary formulation used; only one trial included a topical cream. Length of treatment ranged from 2 to 16 weeks, while length of follow-up ranged from 3 to 15 weeks.

 

 

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Red Tomatoes Are Nutritional Powerhouse

Tomatoes are sweet, tasty, and extremely versatile in the kitchen, and to an extent, this already makes them attractive enough. However, there are many other reasons why you should consume them more often. As many of you may know, these red fruits are packed with vitamin C, are low in calories, and are fat-free - but that's not all! Here are 10 even better things tomatoes do for your health:

1. They're full of everything you need for good health 

One serving of red, ripe, raw tomatoes is packed with rich sources of vitamins A, C, K, folate, and potassium. Their amount of sodium, saturated fat, cholesterol, and calories are very low. They are loaded with thiamin, niacin, vitamin B6, magnesium, phosphorus, and copper, which are all essential for our health. In a single serving, tomatoes can provide you with 2 grams of fiber, which is 7% of the daily recommended amount.

2. Promote skin health 

Like carrots and sweet potatoes, tomatoes contain beta-carotene, which contributes to our skin's protection against the sun and its damage. They also contain lycopene, which helps to reduce our skin's sensitivity to UV light - one of the main contributors to fine lines and wrinkles on our skin.

3. Strengthen the bones 

With their rich vitamin K and calcium content, tomatoes provide the boost you need for your bones' health, as these minerals help to strengthen and repair bones. Lycopene (red pigment), found in tomatoes, as well as carrots and watermelons, is said to greatly improve bone mass and serves as an excellent natural way to fight osteoporosis. 

 

4. Fight cancer 

Tomatoes are natural cancer-fighting agents, and probably one of the most delicious ones you could ever eat. Their concentration of lycopene (again) helps to reduce the risk of various cancers, including prostate, mouth, throat, pharynx, cervical, stomach, esophagus, rectal, colon, and ovarian. This is due to their antioxidant (vitamins A and C) content, which helps fight the free radicals that cause cell damage.

5. Balance blood sugar 

If you thought eating sweet foods won't help your sugar levels, you haven't heard of this benefit yet. Because of their great source of chromium, tomatoes are outstanding blood sugar regulators. So if you're willing to balance the sugar level in your blood, don't forget to add more of them to your diet (read more on how you can do this below).

6. Improve vision 

You can also reap terrific benefits for your eyes and vision by including more red goodness in your dishes. One of the nutrients found in tomatoes, vitamin A, is known to bring great improvements in vision and night blindness. According to recent studies, tomatoes have also been found to reduce the risk of macular degeneration, which is a serious and irreversible eye condition.

7. Boost hair health 

Apart from being beneficial for the eyes, the vitamin A found in tomatoes can even boost your hair's health. It might not offer solutions for thinning hair, but it surely helps to strengthen your hair and add more shine to it. 

 

8. Prevent kidney stones and gallstones 

Kidney stones and gallstones are common health problems that may be prevented by eating tomatoes. They're said to reduce the risk of these problems arising, especially if they are eaten without the seeds.

9. Alleviate chronic pain 

Did you know tomatoes can also fight pain? If you are suffering from mild to moderate chronic pain, such as arthritis, chronic inflammation or back pain, you may want to consider tomatoes as a natural remedy. Since they are high in bioflavonoids and carotenoids (both anti-inflammatory agents), eating tomatoes can significantly lessen your pain.

10. Help in weight loss 

Tomatoes are packed with water and fiber, making them excellent filling foods to stock up on if you are trying to lose weight. They can make great between-meal snacks instead of apples, and they're also the perfect ingredient to use with your salads, casseroles or sandwiches, to make them more filling. Eating tomatoes will not only leave you satiated and give you lots of health benefits, it does all this without adding any extra calories or fat to your diet.

TIPS: Ways to include tomatoes in your food  

 

Add slices of tomatoes to your sandwiches, whether they have meat, fish, or are vegetarian 

 

Make a tomato sandwich, by adding some mustard or mayonnaise as a dressing 

 

Add chopped tomatoes to any salad (at room temperature, if possible) 

 

Make pasta sauce out of tomato pulp (canned, cooked or homemade), instead of creams 

 

Drink tomato juices or make tomato smoothies 

 

Add chopped tomatoes to your morning scrambled eggs or omelets 

 

Eat them raw as a mid-afternoon snack 

 

Add them to stews and soups 

 

Serve them stewed over baked potatoes or mashed potatoes 

 

Make tomato salsa to serve with fish, meats, and even salads

This is only for your information, kindly take the advice of your doctor for medicines, exercises and so on.   

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Scrambler Therapy – The One-All Solution for Chronic Pain?

Chronic pain can severely affect a person's quality of life, whether it's caused by arthritis or a persistent back injury. However, recent studies propose a promising solution for this issue. Johns Hopkins Medicine researchers have discovered a noninvasive pain treatment called scrambler therapy, which has shown remarkable results in providing substantial relief to about 80 to 90 percent of chronic pain sufferers.

 

Researchers say scrambler therapy can be more efficient than transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS), another noninvasive treatment. Approved by the U.S. FDA in 2009, scrambler therapy involves applying electrical stimulation through electrodes on the skin, targeting areas above and below the origin of chronic pain.

The goal is to intercept nerve signals from the painful area and replace them with signals from neighboring pain-free areas. Therefore, this "scrambles" the pain signals being sent to the brain, explains primary study author Thomas Smith, M.D., the Harry J Duffey Family Professor of Palliative Medicine at the Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center, as well as an associate professor at Johns Hopkins University.

A patient with chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy undergoing scrambler therapy. The red bursts correspond to the areas of pain perception.

 

The therapy was developed by Professor Giuseppe Marineo in the 1980s and gained significant attention for its potential for providing pain relief without the use of drugs or invasive procedures. 

 

Nearly all types of chronic pain, including nerve and neuropathic pain, have a common origin, which can be traced back to two key factors. Firstly, damaged nerves emit unceasing pain impulses that ascend to the brain's pain centers. Secondly, the failure of inhibitory cells to block and suppress these impulses leads to their persistence, contributing to the chronicity of the pain.

In a media statement, Prof. Smith suggests that blocking the ascending pain impulses and strengthening the inhibitory system could reset the brain's response to chronic pain. This could result in a significant reduction in its intensity. The analogy used is similar to pressing Control-Alt-Delete repeatedly. Many patients have experienced substantial and sometimes permanent relief after undergoing three to 12 half-hour sessions. 

 

Smith concludes that Scrambler therapy is the most exciting advancement he has witnessed in years. This treatment is not only effective but also noninvasive, which leads to a substantial reduction in opioid use with permanent results.

TENS therapy operates through the application of mild electrical signals on the skin, using electrode pairs placed at the pain sites. Pain relief tends to cease shortly after discontinuing the electrical impulses, explains Smith. Based on a review of 381 randomized clinical trials, it was concluded that TENS treatment is not statistically significantly different from a placebo treatment in terms of pain relief. 

 

The study is published in the New England Journal of Medicine.

This is only for your information, kindly take the advice of your doctor for medicines, exercises and so on.   

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What are the Benefits and Uses of CBD Oil?

As more states legalize the use of marijuana, a product known as CBD oil has increased in popularity. There is a chemical compound found in the cannabis plant, CBD, or cannabidiol. This is non-intoxicating and does not cause the noticeable euphoric effects associated with tetrahydrocannabinol, also known as THC, another marijuana compound. Bear in mind that products marketed as CBD oil may contain THC.

It is believed that CBD might affect your health by attaching to receptors in the body's endocannabinoid system - a complex biological system that is involved in maintaining certain aspects of your health. Emerging research illustrates that endocannabinoids may play a role in regulating such functions as memory, sleep and mood, and also metabolic processes like energy balance. When you purchase CBD oil, what you are getting is a carrier oil which contains CBD and other active compounds. CBD oil comes in many forms, including soft gel capsules, tinctures, and under-the-tongue sprays. There are some forms of CBD oil which can be directly applied to the skin. They come in the form of products like creams and salves. The concentration of CBD varies from product to product. 

 

Uses 

It has been claimed that CBD oil can treat a wide variety of health issues that range from everyday ailments to chronic medical conditions. 

 

These issues include: 

Acne 

 

Anxiety 

 

Chronic pain 

 

Depression 

 

Epilepsy 

 

Glaucoma 

 

Insomnia 

 

Loss of appetite and body weight 

 

Muscle spasms 

 

Parkinson's disease 

 

CBD oil has also been said to promote sounder sleep. It can reduce inflammation and pain, fight oxidative stress, improve heart health, support weight loss and protect against some forms of cancer. 

The benefits 

CBD oil is used for various health-related purposes, but there isn't a great deal of research on the oil's potential health benefits. But, there is significant support for its effectiveness in the treatment of some forms of epilepsy. In fact, the FDA approved a drug used for epilepsy, Epidiolex, a drug made with a purified form of CBD oil, in June 2018. This drug is used for the treatment of seizures associated with two rare and severe forms of epilepsy in patients two years of age and older. It is the first-FDA-approved drug that contains a purified drug substance derived from marijuana. 

 

In addition, CBD has also shown promise in the treatment of anxiety disorders, according to a report published in the journal Neurotherapeutics in 2015. When looking at results from experimental research, clinical trials and epidemiological studies, the authors discovered evidence that CBD may help treat generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder, social anxiety disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and post-traumatic stress disorder. However, the authors caution that human-based research on CBD and anxiety is rather limited at this point. 

 

Furthermore, a small study published in the journal JCI Insight in 2017, discovered that CBD may help prevent stress-related changes in blood pressure, affecting heart health. The study examined nine healthy male volunteers who took a single dose of either CBD or a placebo. In comparison to those given the placebo, those treated with CBD had lower blood pressure before and after experiencing a stressful event.

This is only for your information, kindly take the advice of your doctor for medicines, exercises and so on.   

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Dementia: THESE changes can act as early predictors of brain decline

Changes that can occur decades before dementia-related memory loss kicks in

Dementia is a group of illnesses that affects at least two or more brain functions including memory, thinking and/or judgment. It is not a specific disease rather can be an outcome of several diseases.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), around 55 million people have dementia worldwide, with over 60% living in low- and middle-income countries. It is currently the seventh leading cause of death among all diseases and one of the major causes of disability and dependency among older people around the world, reports the global health agency.

However, an illness so concerning does not have a cure so far. The only way it can be prevented is through early detection and that can be done by understanding the changes that take place in the brain and the body.

Brain changes can signal cognitive decline

As it is known, dementia is a general term to refer to a group of disorders caused by abnormal brain changes and activities. These then lead to a decline in one's thinking abilities and also affect a person's memory, impairing their day to day functions.

Doctor Sara Imarisio, Head of Research at Alzheimer’s Research UK believes "brain changes linked to the diseases that cause dementia can start in the brain up to 20 years before symptoms like memory loss appear," reports.

“A key early brain change in Alzheimer’s disease is a build-up of the amyloid protein.

"While we can detect levels of this protein with expensive brain scans and other biological tests, not everyone with high levels of amyloid will go on to develop the symptoms of Alzheimer’s," she adds.

What is amyloid protein?

Amyloid is a group of abnormal proteins, usually produced in the bone marrow and can be deposited in any tissue or organ. It can affect different organs in the body including the heart, kidneys, liver, spleen, nervous system and digestive tract. Amyloids are also associated with disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease, a progressive neurologic disorder that affects thinking and memory.

Other changes that can appear years before dementia onset

Apart from certain brain changes, Doctor Imarisio shares that research has also highlighted other changes that precedes classic dementia symptoms.

"People can experience subtle changes in things like sleep, speech, movement, mood and brain activity," the doctor explains.

"These changes might not be noticeable to the human eye, but smart devices could be sensitive enough to detect patterns in them," she adds.

According to her, chronic pain is one such change that can act as an early predictor of dementia.

Study finds chronic pain may be associated with dementia

As per the study, partly funded by National Institute on Aging and published in Journal Pain, those with dementia may experience rising pain 16 years before their diagnosis.

The researchers claimed that both dementia and chronic pain could cause changes to the brain and affect cognitive functions.

Another study conducted by researchers at Université de Paris, which has been collecting data on participants for as many as 27 years, found that those who were diagnosed with dementia complained of slightly more pain as early as 16 years before their diagnosis, driven mostly by differences in pain interference.

This is only for your information, kindly take the advice of your doctor for medicines, exercises and so on.   

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https://gseasyrecipes.blogspot.com. feel free to view for easy, simple and healthy recipes    
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