Background & Objective: Preemptive analgesia aims at minimizing the development of central sensitization thereby decreasing postoperative pain and analgesic requirements. Various drugs have been used for this purpose. Tapentadol, is a newer centrally acting analgesic which is effective in moderate to severe pain. The aim of this study was to analyze the effect of preoperative oral tapentadol upon postoperative analgesia and analgesic requirements in patients undergoing inguinal hernia surgeries.Methodology: One hundred adult patients undergoing elective unilateral inguinal hernia repair were randomized into two groups of fifty each. Group P received placebo tablets and Group T received tapentadol (100 mg) tablets orally 30 min before anesthesia. All patients received spinal anesthesia and the duration of postoperative analgesia and analgesic consumption in the first postoperative day was recorded. Diclofenac was administered when the patients demanded analgesia.Results: Time for first analgesic demand was significantly delayed in Group T as compared to Group P (328.00 & PLUSMN; 129.71 vs. 252.00 & PLUSMN; 101.38 min, P = 0.017) and the total analgesic consumption of diclofenac was also less than in the placebo group (73.33 & PLUSMN; 28.57 mg vs. 95.00 & PLUSMN; 31.30 mg; P = 0.006). No adverse events were observed in either group.Conclusion: Preemptive oral tapentadol is effective for minimizing postoperative pain and analgesic requirement in patients undergoing inguinal hernia surgeries under spinal anesthesia.