Treatment and Therapy - Pain Medication

Pain Medication | Intravenous Immunoglobulin | Plasmapheresis | Corticosteroids | Nerve Block | TENS | Anti-Seizure Medications | Alternative therapies | Ergonomics and Splints

It is common for people with peripheral neuropathy to experience different degrees of pain. It's important to identify the type of pain medication that will best manage your symptoms, work with your body chemistry, and complement other treatments.

• Over-the-Counter Pain Medications are available to relieve mild-to-moderate pain.

When over-the-counter pain medications do not relieve the pain associated with peripheral neuropathy, other types of medications and therapies are available, including prescription nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, narcotics, antidepressants, and topical medications.

• COX-2 Inhibitors (includes Celebrex®)
• Narcotics (Opioids)
• Tramadol (Ultram®)
• Antidepressants (as pain relievers; includes Amitriptyline and Cymbalta®)
• Topical Medications
• Mexiletine
• Alpha-2 Andrenergic Agonists

There are two kinds of pain:

• Acute pain accompanies illness, inflammation, or injury to tissues. The onset of acute pain is sudden and may occur with emotional distress. The cause of acute pain can usually be diagnosed and treated, and the pain will go away over time. Occasionally, acute pain can become chronic.
• Chronic pain may be part of the disease itself. Environmental and psychological factors may make it become worse. Chronic pain lasts for longer periods of time than acute pain and is more difficult to treat.