Medicines for Neuropathic Pain

Written by Medicines for Neuropathic Pain  »  Updated on: March 26th, 2024

Medicines for Neuropathic Pain

Introduction

Neuropathic pain is a type of pain in which a person usually experiences a sensation like shooting or burning pain. Sometimes, it comes and goes, or it might stay for a longer duration till it is treated. People with common diseases like diabetes, shingles, and central nervous system disorder are the main victims of Neuropathic pain.
This pain can be treated with various medications like Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), Serotonin-noradrenaline reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs), Tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs), and few medications that are approved by the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) for the treatment of Neuropathic pain.

In this blog, you are going to learn about Neuropathic pain, its causes, symptoms, and how to get relief from this pain.

What is Neuropathic Pain?

Neuropathy is an irregular activity of function or a change in one or several nerves. The broken-down nerve fibers send the wrong sign to the pain centers of your body. It is the main reason for Neuropathic pain. But, pain can occur when your nervous system starts to fail or is harmed.

What Causes Neuropathic Pain in People?

  • The causes of Neuropathic pain in people are listed below:
  • Regular consumption of alcohol can affect your nervous system.
  • Individuals suffering from diabetes may also experience pain and numbness in their legs.
  • Facial nerve disorders may cause problems like paralysis, tearing, drooping of the facial muscles, and weakness. It is a sudden or gradual offset of facial paralysis.
  • Diseases and infections such as HIV/AIDS can harm or damage the nerves in the body which can result in pain, weakness etc.
  • Central nervous system disorders like stroke, Parkinson’s disease and multiple sclerosis (MS) are the major causes of neuropathy problems.
  • Complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) causes pain, changes in body color, and its impact on the functions of your body like limb, sleep, mental health, etc.
  • Shingles are like an infection on your body, usually in the form of skin rashes, blisters, etc.

Signs and Symptoms

Signs and symptoms of neuropathic pain differ from person to person, but these symptoms are common:

  • You can face difficulty while sleeping and feel restless.
  • Feeling unpleasant or showing abnormal characteristics frequently and for a long time.
  • Sudden triggering of pain, or pain that occurs without any cause or reason.
  • You can feel pain like being hit by someone, a burning sensation, or stabbing pain in the whole body.
  • You will experience tingling and numbness in your hands or other parts of the body like someone is hurting you with a pin or needle.
  • Your muscles are getting weak day by day, you can’t hold anything with your hands tightly and things are dropped.
  • Sometimes your blood pressure will go down.
  • You can’t digest your food properly.
  • Your body starts to excessively sweat.
  • If your body is showing these symptoms, maybe you are experiencing nerve pain or neuropathic pain.

5 Best Medicines to Treat Neuropathic Pain


The most common treatments for Neuropathic pain are as follows:

1) Gabapentin:

This medicine is mostly used for treating neuropathic pain conditions in people. It is a Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved prescription-only medication. This medication helps in relieving pain caused by various health issues like shingles, painful rashes, etc.
Gabapentin works as an anti-seizure component, which slows down the unusual excitement in the brain by controlling the brain cells. There are also some side effects of Gabapentin such as dizziness, sleepiness, vision changes, and many more. Pregnant women should avoid taking this medicine.

2) Pregabalin:

Pregabalin medication helps treat nerve pain by calming hyperactive nerves in your body. This medicine is used for preventing and controlling pain from seizure attacks in patients with epilepsy.
The side effects of this medication are allergic reactions, and swelling on the face and other parts of the body.

3) Tramadol:

Tramadol is a synthesized opioid drug. You will get relief from the pain within 30 to 60 minutes after taking the Tramadol drug. This is only available when it is prescribed by your doctor. Tramadol is available in tablet form and liquid formulations.
The side effects of the medicine are sweating, muscle weakness, vomiting, and many more.

4) Oxycodone:

Oxycodone is commonly used for treating neuropathic pain and is prescribed by healthcare professionals. It works by stimulating the opioid receptors found in the central nervous system (CNS). This is a semi‐synthetic opioid and is made from the opioid alkaloid thebaine.
Oxycodone oral solution, capsule, or tablet, when taken, starts to show results in 30 to 60 minutes. However, you will get relief from the pain within 4 or 6 hours. You should not be addicted to this medication, consult your doctor to avoid forming a habit of Oxycodone drug.

5) Amitriptyline:

This medicine falls in the class of Tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs), which are mostly used for treating neuropathic pain in patients. Amitriptyline is a first-line treatment in medical guidelines. It lowers the pain and starts giving signals to the brain.

You should start this medication from the low dose once a day, or as recommended by your doctor. Some of the side effects of this medication are dry mouth, weight gain, urinary retention, blurred vision, and many more.
In addition to taking the above-mentioned drugs, a healthy diet and active lifestyle are the two things that can help ease everyday pain. Furthermore, these can also help:

  • Joining a pain support group or yoga classes
  • You should go for physical therapies or do daily activities
  • Take your medication regularly and do not skip them
  • Try to set realistic goals for managing your nerve pain

Conclusion


The occurrence of pain in each person may vary, and different pain-relief medications will work in various conditions. Few people will respond well to non-opioid medicines, which generally have less risk and side effects.
Neuropathic pain symptoms occur from damaged nerves. Different types of medicines are used in their treatment, so that you may prevent it from causing further nerve damage. Sometimes, it may also lead to a serious disability. So, you should go for therapies that are very effective to get relief from neuropathic pain.



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