Tapentadol is a prescription medication used to manage moderate to severe pain. It is an opioid analgesic, but it also has an additional mechanism of action, inhibiting the reuptake of norepinephrine, which makes it effective in managing both nociceptive (physical) and neuropathic (nerve) pain. It works as an opioid agonist, meaning it binds to opioid receptors in the brain to reduce the sensation of pain. It also inhibits norepinephrine reuptake, enhancing pain control, particularly in cases involving nerve-related pain.