What medications are used to treat neuropathic pain?

These are your typical run-of-the-mill pain relievers that can be bought without a prescription. Because these are well-tolerated by the body and have few side effects, they are usually the first medication prescribed by your doctor. The most common type of painkillers are aspirin, acetaminophen, and ibuprofen. If you are still in pain after taking this type of medication, it may be a sign that you need something stronger, so consult with your doctor to determine the best treatment option.

This type of medication is for localized nerve pain and may come in the form of a cream, gel, or patch. The product is applied by hand to specific parts of the body, and is absorbed into the skin. This is the best treatment option for people who do not want to take any form of oral medication. Known side effects of this type of medication are an intense burning sensation and irritation on the area where it was applied. Capsaicin cream is a popular topical ointment used to treat nerve pain. It contains capsaicin, a substance found in chili peppers that is known to reduce the pain sensation. Lidocaine topical patches are also known to provide temporary relief from pain, but will need to be reapplied throughout the day.

Nerve pain is sometimes attributed to vitamin deficiency. If your doctor determines this to be the cause of your pain, you may be prescribed vitamin B12 which may come in the form of injections or tablets. Alpha-lipoic acid is another antioxidant supplement that can also help relieve pain symptoms in some people.

This type of medication is usually prescribed to people with epilepsy in order to treat their seizures. These drugs can also help blunt the pain by interfering with the transmission signals being sent by the damaged nerves. Some of the popular ones that are used to treat nerve pain are pregabalin and gabapentin. As with many medications you may experience some side effects when taking these drugs such as allergic reactions, chest pain, dizziness, drowsiness, nausea, and more. The epilepsy drug carbamazepine is frequently used to treat trigeminal neuralgia, a chronic pain condition in which a patient experiences a severe and sudden electric shock-like pain in the face.

This type of medication may still be prescribed by your doctor to treat neuropathic pain, even if you're not depressed. However, because neuropathy may severely impact the quality of your life, you may experience sleep deprivation and mood disorders such as depression and anxiety. The following classifications of antidepressants may be prescribed to treat these complications:

o Tricyclic antidepressants – These antidepressants are used to treat nerve pain caused by diabetes, stroke, and shingles. Some of these medications include amitriptyline and nortriptyline.

o Serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs) – Escitalopram and fluoxetine are SSRI antidepressants that can also be taken for nerve pain.

o Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) – Lexapro and Prozac are SSRI antidepressants that can also be taken for nerve pain.

This type of medication is often prescribed as a last resort. In fact, some doctors discourage prescribing it due to the addictive effects of their long-term use. Some examples of opioids are codeine, hydromorphone, oxycodone, morphine, and tramadol. Although tramadol may be viewed as the safest option among the four, it is still considered as habit-forming if used for a long time. The known side effects of opioids are constipation, drowsiness, nausea, and vomiting.