Disease, malnutrition, injury and exposure to toxins can cause nerve damage, a condition also known as neuropathy, which can impede the ability of nerve impulses to travel between the brain and the various organs of the body. Neuropathy is characterized by numbness, pain and muscle weakness. Neuropathy is often treated with some of the same drugs that are effective against depression.
Tricyclic Antidepressants
This type of antidepressant blocks the reuptake of norepinephrine, a chemical messenger found in the brain. Tricyclic antidepressants have been consistently shown to relieve pain in patients with diabetic nerve damage and neuralgia following shingles. The pain relief provided by tricyclic antidepressants is effective regardless of whether the patient is experiencing depression in conjunction with nerve pain. Nerve pain is treated with a lower dose of tricyclic antidepressants than would typically be prescribed for depression, according to the "Journal of Psychiatry and Neuroscience."
Selective Serotonin-Norepinephrine Reuptake Inhibitors
Cymbalta is the brand name for the prescription antidepressant dulotine. This drug is a selective serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor, or SSNRI. It helps to balance erratic neurotransmitter levels that can cause depression, according to Drugs.com. It is prescribed for patients who are experiencing major depression and anxiety.
Cymbalta is also used to ease the symptoms of peripheral nerve damage according to New York University's Langone Medical Center.
Other Treatments
When antidepressants fail to address the symptoms of neuropathy, a number of other options are available. Any patient who is suffering from both depression and neuropathy should consult a physician to ensure that their neuropathy treatments will not cause harmful interactions with any antidepressant medications.
NYU's Langone Medical Center notes that anticonvulsant medications, and, in severe cases, immunoglobulins or steroids can be used as treatments for neuropathy. Nonpharmaceutical options, such as biofeedback, yoga, massage and accupuncture, may also help in reducing neuropathy symptoms.
References
- NYU Langone Medical Center: Peripheral Neuropathy
- "Journal of Psychiatry and Neuroscience"; Antidepressants as Analgesics: A Review of Randomized Controlled Trials; Mary Lynch; January 2001
- "Pain Research & Management"; The Pharmacotherapy of Chronic Pain: A Review; Mary E Lynch, MD FRCPC1 and C Peter N Watson, MD; Spring 2006
- Drugs.com: Elavil Information
- Drugs.com: Cymbalta
