Pain is the body's way of showing that tissue is damaged. Pain signals are carried through the body via nerves. Sometimes the nerves themselves can be damaged, however, leading to nerve pain (also known as neuralgia). Nerve pain can be difficult to treat because nerve fibers are slow to heal.
Anti-Seizure Medications
As the Mayo Clinic explains, medications commonly used for seizures (also known as anticonvulsants) can be very effective at treating nerve pain. Different kinds of anticonvulsants are recommended for different kinds of nerve pain. For example, carbamazepine and oxcarbamazepine are two anticonvulsants that work particularly well for nerve pain in the face. Gabapentin is an antoconvulsant that can be used for nerve pain that results from a herpes infection. It is not completely understood how these medications treat nerve pain, but they are thought to limit some of the abnormal nerve signaling that causes nerve pain.
Antidepressants
As Medline notes, some kinds of antidepressants can be used to treat nerve pain. The most commonly prescribed antidepressants for nerve pain are called tricyclic antidepressants and include amitriptyline, doxeline and clomipramine. These medications are particularly effective for nerve pain resulting from an infection, lower back pain and fibromyalgia. Tricyclic antidepressants work by increasing the levels of certain chemicals within the nervous system. It is thought that these medications increase the levels of chemicals in the spinal cord that reduce pain signals.
Capsaicin Creams
Creams and ointments that contain capsaicin can also be used to treat nerve pain. Capsaicin is a chemical found in spicy peppers that gives them their "heat." When capsaicin is applied to the skin, it causes the release of a special chemical called Substance P, which sends a warmth sensation to the brain. Substance P, however, is also involved in the transmission of nerve pain. If all of it gets used up by the capsaicin, then there will be reduced signaling of pain from damaged nerves to the brain.
