Tramadol is an opioid pain reliever that doctors prescribe to treat moderate to severe pain. It is often used before more potent opioids to lessen your chances of developing an addiction. That said, it is still possible to experience an addiction to tramadol.
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) reports that nearly 2 million people abused tramadol in the United States in 2017.[1]
Tramadol dependence is characterized by needing the substance for your body to function properly. You might experience cravings to use it, develop a tolerance, and deal with withdrawal symptoms upon cessation. If you or a loved one suffers from tramadol addiction, you might be wondering how long it stays in your system.
The half-life of tramadol is between 5 to 7 hours.[2] This means it can stay in your system for up to 35 hours. However, drug tests can detect tramadol for longer periods because of the metabolites that it leaves behind in certain areas of your body.
In this article, you will learn:
- What is the half-life of tramadol
- How long can drug tests find tramadol in your system
- What factors influence how long tramadol stays in your body
What is the Half-Life of Tramadol?
Tramadol is a pain medication used to address moderate to severe and chronic pain. To understand how long it stays in your system, you need to know what a half-life is. Half-lives explain how long it takes your body to eliminate half of a dose of a substance.
The half-life of tramadol is between 5 to 7 hours.[2] It can take 4 to 5 half-lives for a drug to be eliminated from your system. In other words, tramadol can remain in your body for 35 hours.
Extended-release tablets of tramadol have a half-life of 10 to 11 hours.[3] In other words, they will remain in your body for up to 55 hours.
Remember, as your body breaks down tramadol, metabolites are left behind in your saliva, urine, blood, and hair. Drug tests can determine whether you have abused tramadol recently based on the presence of these metabolites. The amount of time you will test positive depends on what type of drug test is being used and a variety of additional factors like overall health and liver and kidney function.
How Long Can Drug Tests Detect Tramadol?
Since tramadol is an opioid, some standard drug tests can detect it. The amount of time that you will test positive for tramadol depends on a variety of factors, including the dose you take and what type of test is being used.
Urine
Urine tests are the most commonly used type of drug test for tramadol. They are minimally invasive, offer reliable results, and are cheap to use.
These tests can detect tramadol in urine for 2 to 4 days after your last dose.
Blood
Blood tests are not used as often as urine tests because they offer a shorter window of detection. They are also invasive because they require a blood draw. That said, they might be used in hospital settings to determine if a drug contributes to your symptoms.
Blood tests can detect tramadol in your system as early as 24 hours and up to 48 hours after you last used it.
Saliva
While saliva tests usually offer a shorter window of detection than other forms of testing, they are reliable for tramadol detection. These tests can find tramadol in your system for 1 to 4 days after you last used it. If you tend to use large doses of tramadol at once, it is more likely that you will test positive for 4 days.
Hair
Hair tests offer the longest window of detection for every drug. With that being said, they aren’t used often because they can be expensive to analyze. Additionally, they might be unreliable as the results can be discriminatory based on factors like hair color.
Some high-security clearance jobs use hair follicle drug testing before offering employment. These tests can detect tramadol in your system for 90 days after your last dose.
What Factors Play a Role in How Long Tramadol Stays in Your System?
Several factors can influence how long tramadol stays in your body. First, if you consume high doses of tramadol, you might have the drug in your system longer than someone who takes it as prescribed.
Other factors that play a role in how long tramadol stays in your body include:
- Dosage and frequency
- The rate of your metabolism
- The functioning of your liver and kidneys
- Overall health
- Body fat percentage and weight
- Age and biological sex
- Whether you were taking immediate or extended-release tramadol
- Hydration and nutrition levels
- The presence of other medications in your system
Find Help for Tramadol Abuse
If you or a loved one have been abusing tramadol long-term, it’s time to seek professional help. Tramadol addiction can be difficult to overcome, but the Mandala Healing Center is here to offer you the tools and support you need.
Contact us today to learn how we can help you recover from tramadol addiction.
References:
- The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA): 2017 NSDUH Annual National Report
- Drug Bank Online: Tramadol
- The Food and Drug Administration (FDA): Tramadol Label