According to Drugs.com, Lyrica is an oral prescription medication that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved for the treatment of four medical conditions. These conditions include diabetic peripheral neuropathy, postherpetic neuralgia, partial onset seizures in adults and fibromyalgia. The FDA approved treatment for fibromyalgia in June 2007 and for the other three conditions in December 2004.
Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy
As reported by the Mayo Clinic, the cause of peripheral neuropathy is nerve damage that occurs when a person suffers traumatic injuries, infections or metabolic problems. The symptoms of peripheral neuropathy are numbness and pain that feels like tingling or burning in the hands and feet. Peripheral neuropathy most often occurs in people who have diabetes. According to Drugs.com, a 100mg dose of Lyrica three times a day is an effective treatment for diabetic peripheral neuropathy.
Postherpetic Neuralgia
Years after you recover from chickenpox, the virus that causes it can emerge once again. This leads to shingles, which is a painful condition that affects the skin and nerve fibers resulting in blisters and rashes. According to the Mayo Clinic, the pain that lingers after the blisters and rashes have healed is called postherpetic neuralgia. Lyrica for postherpetic neuralgia has a recommended dose of 75 to 150mg twice a day or 50 to 100mg three times a day, as reported on Drugs.com.
Partial Onset Seizures in Adults
According to the Epilepsy Foundation of America, a partial seizure occurs when the electrical disturbance in the brain is confined to a specific region. This is the type of seizure that people with epilepsy have most frequently. In patients who are already on an epilepsy medication, Lyrica is effective as an add-on therapy at doses of 150 to 600 mg per day, Drugs.com says.
Fibromyalgia
The National Fibromyalgia Research Association reports that 6 million people in the United States (90 percent of them women) have fibromyalgia. The condition strikes people between 20 and 55 years old, and the symptoms include widespread muscle aches, pain and stiffness, general fatigue and sleep disturbances. According to Drugs.com, Lyrica at 300 to 450mg per day can help manage the symptoms of fibromyalgia. It also says it's advisable to begin treatment at 75mg twice a day, and then increase to 150mg twice a day after one week.
