Sciatic pain, also known as sciatica, refers to a neuropathic type of pain usually elicited by an inflamed sciatic nerve or a herniated lumbar disc. Typically, the pain is defined as sharp, shooting or tingling and can travel from the buttocks to the feet. Several types of prescription and over-the-counter drugs are used to alleviate this pain when taken as directed.
Anti-inflammatory Medications
Anti-inflammatory drugs are used to decrease the swelling in tissues surrounding the sciatic nerve and therefore the level of sciatic pain. Ibuprofen and acetaminophen are over-the-counter medications that relieve mild sciatic pain by decreasing inflammation. Corticosteroids are available by prescription only, but are more potent anti-inflammatory drugs. Steroids can be taken orally or by epidural injection.
Anticonvulsants
Rather than treating seizures, gabapentin and carbamazapine are anticonvulsant drugs frequently used to treat neuropathic, or nerve pains, such as those elicited by sciatica. Each nerve fiber is surrounded by a myelin sheath, which functions to speed up transmission of impulses. Anticonvulsant drugs act by calming the myelin sheath, which decreases transmission of the neuropathic pains to the brain.
Antidepressant Drugs
Several antidepressant drugs such as amitriptyline and duloxetine work to calm the pain signal in the brain. They are not prescribed to treat depression in those with sciatica but to treat the pain signals and calm the nerve fibers, thereby suppressing the sciatic pain. Occasionally, antidepressants will be used in conjunction with other sciatic pain drugs for treatment.
Narcotic Pain Relievers
In severe or disabling cases of sciatic pain, narcotic pain relievers may be prescribed to allow continuation of normal functioning during the attack. Opioid narcotics work in the central nervous system to block the pain signal completely but will not treat the sciatic nerve itself. Opioid narcotics should not be used for long-term neuropathic pain, such as sciatic pain, when other less invasive treatment modalities are available.
