If you are diabetic, then you likely understand that there are many different complications that can occur as your disease progresses. One of these complications is called diabetic neuropathy where the nerves in your body become damaged by high blood sugar levels. While the neuropathy issue cannot be reversed, there are several different treatments for the issue. Keep reading to learn about a few of them.
Seizure Medications
If you have already developed neuropathy and feel a great deal of pain and discomfort, then it is best to ask your physician about medications that can reduce your pain. Medicines include anti-seizure varieties. These drugs help to calm the nerves across the body. They also stop the nerves from overreacting and releasing strong signals throughout the body. This translates into a reduction in pain.
Anti-seizure medications are used to treat a variety of nervous system disorders, but they are typically prescribed as off-label when used to treat nerve pain. This means the drug is not being used for its original intended purpose. For this reason, your doctor will likely prescribe a dose that is appropriate for reducing nerve pain, and this is often lower than what is called for to keep seizures at bay. Low doses are advantageous because they reduce the chances of you developing an adverse reaction to the drug or developing a number of side effects. Also, the newer anti-seizure medications are most often prescribed since they have fewer side effects overall.
Antidepressants
Antidepressant medications are sometimes prescribed for people who have neuropathy issues. These medicines work in a few different ways to treat nerve pain. They help to disrupt or stop some of the chemical messages in the brain that cause pain sensations. They can also promote the release of neurotransmitters and other chemicals, like endorphins, that act as natural pain relievers.
Older types of antidepressants called tricyclics have been shown to reduce nerve pain. However, studies show promising results from SSRI and other newer types of antidepressants as well.
As with anti-seizure medications, you can often experience pain relief with lower doses of the medication, so side effects are less likely to be an issue.
While prescription medications have been shown to reduce neuropathy pain, you may need to pair them with traditional types of pain relievers. NSAID pain relievers are suggested and so are creams and topical agents that contain ingredients like capsaicin.
If you want to know more about neuropathy and how medication can help you, speak with your physician. To learn more, contct a clinic like Wisconsin Spinal Rehabilitation Center.