Overview Of Pregabalin (Lyrica)
Pregabalin, often sold under the brand Lyrica, is an oral prescription medication. It is available as an extended-release tablet, solution, or capsule. This medication is a controlled substance and has some risk of dependency. Thus, doctors must closely monitor their patient's reactions to this medication.
This medication is a major fibromyalgia treatment. It also helps treat diabetic nerve pain. Pregabalin is also a pain treatment for nerve damage caused by spinal cord injury, shingles, or certain degenerative nervous system diseases. Of course, it is most common as a treatment for diabetic neuropathy. It may also be used as part of a patient's epilepsy treatment to prevent seizures. However, it may need to be combined with other seizure medications for this purpose.
How It Works
Pregabalin is an anticonvulsant. This class of medication is typically used to treat seizures, nerve issues, and similar conditions. This medication has been proven to work. However, researchers are unsure of precisely how it does. The theory is that it calms pulses from the overactive or damaged nerves within the body. This helps reduce both pain and seizure activity. The medication reduces abnormal electrical pulses in the brain in epilepsy patients. It interrupts pain messages somewhere along the spinal cord or inside the brain for individuals with nerve pain.
If this medication is prescribed to treat certain anxiety disorders, it prevents the brain from releasing anxiety-inducing chemicals. Most patients are prescribed doses to take either twice or three times per day. There will be several weeks before the drug shows effects.
Reveal the main uses and benefits of this medication next.
Uses And Benefits
Seizures in epilepsy are caused when unusual electrical activity floods the brain. This medication slows the pulses to make them less likely to cause seizures. It is also one of only a select few drugs that have been specifically approved to treat fibromyalgia. This is a chronic condition that causes ongoing aches and fatigue. It can be challenging to diagnose and treat.
The Food And Drug Administration has also approved this medication to treat other conditions. This includes diabetic neuropathy, nerve damage caused by herpes zoster, and pain due to an old or healing spinal cord injury. This medication may also treat partial-onset seizures. It may be used for this purpose in anyone over one month old. Some doctors may prescribe this medication off-label to treat anxiety or nerve damage caused by other diseases.
Get the details on the potential side effects next.
