Tapentadol is a prescription medication used to treat moderate to severe pain. It is classified as an opioid analgesic and works by changing the way the brain and nervous system respond to pain. Tapentadol Often prescribed for the relief of acute pain that is severe enough to require an opioid and for which alternative treatments are inadequate. It is Also used for the management of chronic pain conditions, including neuropathic pain associated with diabetic peripheral neuropathy in adults.