Disclosed is a pharmaceutical composition, comprising a combination of a dose of meloxicam or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof and a dose of tramadol or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, the combination in an amount sufficient to provide an analgesic effect in a human patient. Also disclosed is a method of effectively treating pain in humans or other mammals, comprising administering to the patient a combination of a dose of meloxicam or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof and a dose of tramadol or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof such that the dosing interval of the meloxicam overlaps with the dosing interval of the tramadol, the combination in an amount sufficient to provide an analgesic effect in a human patient.