chronic pain
"I have been taking Tramadol (50mg) for several years.  It was prescriped by my PCP for moderately severe osteoarthritis. Am unable to tolerate NSAIDs.  I also have Norco (10/325 hyrocodone/acetamphine) as a back up.  I experience chronic low level pain which I deal with through exercise and acupuncture and use Tramadol if it worsens - so I do not take daily and have never experienced any withdrawal symptoms as some people have mentioned.  For what I use it for, it works fairly well and I have no side effects.  But the notion that it is not addictive is false and as of August 2014 has been re-classed as a Schedule IV. In terms of acute pain, I do not find it nearly as effective as Norco but I only need that 1x or 2x a month."