Tramadol is called an opiate agonist. It works by treating the symptoms of pain. It does not treat the underlying causes. It simply alters the pain response of your body. The area of pain essentially becomes numbed. There is still pain there; however, your body can't feel it. Tramadol does not cure your malady. It won’t help you recover from the cause of your pain. It just helps you endure the pain until treatment allows for a cure.