Medication for Neurological Pain

Neurological pain, also referred to as nerve pain, is often very intense and long-lasting. Medications are typically the first line of treatment for patients experiencing neurological pain. Finding the right medication for neurological pain often requires the doctor and patient to take a trial-and-error approach. This is often frustrating, but it is necessary to find which medication for neurological pain will be the most beneficial to the patient while causing the fewest side effects. According to Mental Help, approximately 2 to 3 percent of the population experiences neurological pain.

Antidepressants

• Antidepressants are commonly used medications for neurological pain. According to Spine Health, the most effective antidepressant for this type of pain is tricyclic antidepressants such as nortriptyline and amitriptyline. They can help to slow down pain signals and balance brain chemicals.

Anticonvulsants

• Anticonvulsant medications are often prescribed to patients with neurological pain. According to Spine Health, this type of medication is often well-tolerated and effective in relieving pain. The most commonly prescribed anticonvulsant medications for neurological pain include Neurontin, carbamazepine, clonazepam, felbamate, phenytoin and valproic acid. This type of medication works to slow down nerve signals to reduce pain.

Opioids

• According to Spine Health, when using opioid medications for neurological pain, high doses are usually needed. For some patients, this type of medication is not effective at all, but others find them effective. This type of medication works to interrupt nerve signals to alleviate pain. The most commonly prescribed opioid medications include morphine, oxycodone, Hydrocodone, fentanyl and codeine.

Side Effects

• Patients taking medications for neurological pain often experience side effects. The side effects will vary from patient to patient in intensity and frequency, and most patients notice that their side effects either completely go away or are significantly alleviate over time. According to the Stop Pain Organization, the most common side effects of opioid medications for neurological pain include constipation, sexual dysfunction, nausea, dry mouth, fatigue and sleepiness, urinary retention, mental fogginess, dizziness and itching. According to Depression Guide, the most common side effects of tricyclic antidepressants include increased heart rate, dry mouth, daytime drowsiness, constipation, dizziness, bladder problems, blurred vision and sexual problems. According to the Brain and Spine Surgery Center, the most common side effects of anticonvulsants include dizziness, skin rashes, drowsiness, vomiting, nausea and unsteadiness.

Strategy

• According to Mental Help, most patients experiencing neurological pain find that combining an anticonvulsant medication and a tricyclic antidepressant significantly reduces their pain. The most commonly prescribed medications when attempting this combination are nortriptyline (tricyclic antidepressant) and Neurontin (an anticonvulsant also called Gabapentin). Mental Help reports that patients taking a combination of these two drugs reported their pain to be a 2.3 out of 10 (with 10 as the highest degree of pain) instead of a 5.4 out of 10 when taking one or no medications for neurological pain.