Neuropathy is nerve pain that is a symptom of damaged nerves because of disease, surgery or injury. Unmanaged blood sugar concerns can lead to neuropathy.
Neuropathy can present itself as burning, tingling or shooting pain, and millions of people suffer from the condition. But current treatments often don’t bring substantial relief.
New drug compounds use the body’s own pain reception system to reduce nerve pain, inflammation and swelling. Opioids mask pain while also causing brain fog, sleepiness and carrying the risk of addiction. They are also less than 20 percent effective.
“Nerve pain remains one of the most difficult and persistent forms of pain to treat, but new drugs from Northeastern are giving hope for gentler, more effective relief,” said Northeastern Univ. researcher Ganesh Thakur, whose lab created the new drug compounds. “This research could help millions reclaim their lives from pain.”
The new approach to pain management targets the receptors that are attuned to drugs like marijuana. Unlike using the drug, the new medication has no grogginess, withdrawal, high or hunger attached to it.
The team is working on a similar drug that works on the receptor that gets fired up when people smoke. “It is a nicotinic receptor allosteric modulator, meaning it fine-tunes specific nicotinic acetylcholine receptors involved in pain and inflammation, but unlike nicotine, it does not stimulate the brain’s reward pathways and is therefore not addictive,” said Prof. Thakur.
Prof. Thakur called these medications “early-generation compounds.” While these might be the future of neuropathy treatment, they aren’t on the market yet. In the meantime, there are options available to manage symptoms.
Some antidepressants can work on the same receptors in the body to stop nerve pain. They can act as a long-term approach to pain management.
But, research shows those medications only offer “modest benefits and require careful patient screening and close monitoring.” Topical treatments and patches can help some people with localized pain. Their impact can be small but noticeable, and they can be safe for people already on medication.
Recent studies on neuropathy pain were nonconclusive about non-invasive brain stimulation. The researchers said they were neither for nor against it at the end of the day. But, they warned against using marijuana as it was ineffective.
Advil and Tylenol don’t treat neuropathy. But lifestyle changes can help reduce further damage and prevent worsening pain. If you speak to your doctor, they can help you make a plan that is right for you.
