Tapentadol is a prescription pain medication used to treat moderate to severe pain. It works as both an opioid analgesic and a norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor. This dual mechanism makes it effective in managing acute pain, such as after surgery or injury, and chronic pain conditions like neuropathy. It’s prescribed for conditions requiring long-term opioid treatment, such as chronic back pain, osteoarthritis, and diabetic neuropathy. It binds to opioid receptors in the brain to reduce pain sensation and inhibits the reuptake of norepinephrine, which helps modulate pain signals.