Do you avoid alcohol and driving while on Tapentadol? Tapentadol is a prescription pain medication used to treat moderate to severe pain. It works in two main ways:

Mu-opioid receptor agonist – like traditional opioids, it blocks pain signals in the brain.

Norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor (NRI) – it also enhances pain relief by increasing norepinephrine levels, which helps the body manage pain.