Antidepressants Ease Nerve Tissue Pain (Ivanhoe Newswire) --

"New reviews of previous studies confirm antidepressants should be the first-line approach for nerve tissue pain. However, the studies show conflicting results about the benefits of anticonvulsant drugs.

Researchers analyzed 50 studies on 19 antidepressants which involved more than 2,500 study participants. They found tricyclic antidepressants, especially amitriptyline, can help ease the two most common types of neuropathic pain -- that from diabetes and shingles

Neuropathic pain can result from nerve injuries or problems including chronic high blood sugar, complications from shingles, or some cancer treatments. Antidepressants are believed to work by dampening pain signals. Anticonvulsant drugs may help by quieting abnormal firings of nerves in the brain and central nervous system."

For the rest of the story, visit the following page on the RSDHope website: http://www.rsdhope.org/Showpage.asp?PAGE_ID=33&PGCT_ID=3142

Reported July 25, 2005