Tramadol is classified as an opiate agonist. It treats the symptoms of pain but not the underlying causes. It does this by altering the pain response of your body. It is as if the area of pain has been numbed. The pain is still there. Your body just can't feel it. Tramadol is not a cure. It will not help you recover from whatever is causing your pain. It will simply help you endure the pain until appropriate treatment can effect a cure.