The detection window for tramadol in hair is at least 30 days since the last dose, but it’s been found in hair up to 6 months.
Tramadol is a medication used to relieve moderate to severe pain and can often be found under the brand name Ultram.
It’s considered an opioid and works in the central nervous system to alter how the body responds to pain. Testing hair is one way to detect the drug in the body.
Detecting Tramadol In Hair
On average, tramadol can be detected in hair for at least 30 days. Typically, tramadol will leave the system after 90 days, but it is possible for it to be detected in the hair for up to 6 months.
What Factors Affect Tramadol Detection Time In Hair?
While the average amount of time a hair test can detect tramadol is 30 days, there are multiple factors that can affect how long the drug is detected.
These factors include:
- age: For people over 75, tramadol’s half-life can increase to seven hours and reach higher concentrations. This means it can stay in an older person’s body longer than someone under 75.
- sex: The concentration of tramadol can be 12% higher in women than men, meaning it may stay in a woman’s body longer.
- dosage: If you take a higher dose of tramadol for a long time, it may take longer to get a negative result on a test.
- frequency of use: If you take a single dose of tramadol after not taking it at all, it’ll leave your system quickly. If you take it frequently over a long period of time, it will take longer to exit your system.
- type of tramadol: Tramadol comes in an immediate-release and an extended-release form. The extended-release takes longer to leave the body.
- body’s metabolism: Your metabolic rate all depends on age, genetics, your body, and how much you move. If your metabolism is slow, it will take longer for the tramadol to leave your body.
- other medications: If you’re on other medications or drugs, they can affect how long tramadol remains in your body.
Finding Addiction Treatment For Tramadol
It’s never too late to seek help with tramadol addiction. There are a variety of treatment options available.
Call our helpline today to learn more about tramadol, prescription drug, and opioid addiction and what type of treatment is out there for you or your loved one.
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- Forensic Science International Journal — Tramadol in hair
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0379073803001968 - Journal of Drug and Alcohol Dependence — Hair drug test study/How long tramadol stays in system
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4080811/ - U.S. Food & Drug Administration — Half-life of tramadol
https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/drugsatfda_docs/label/2016/020281s036s038lbl.pdf - U.S. National Library of Medicine — Age a factor in tramadol leaving the body
https://dailymed.nlm.nih.gov/dailymed/drugInfo.cfm?setid=45f59e6f-1794-40a4-8f8b-3a9415924468 - U.S. National Library of Medicine: MedlinePlus — Drug testing
https://medlineplus.gov/lab-tests/drug-testing/#:~:text=Drug%20screening%20is%20used%20to,%2Dthe%2Djob%20drug%20use.
