Common non-drug therapies for MS pain management include physiotherapy, occupational therapy, transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) and relaxing exercises such as yoga, Tai Chi and acupuncture.
Drug therapies
Even though medicines to manage pain should not be a sole resort, they often are an important part of pain management. These treatments include:
Amitriptyline is an antidepressant. In MS patients it is used to treat nerve pain, burning sensations, pins and needles, and stabbing pains in the arms or legs. Side effects may include gastric disorders, mouth pain or an unusual taste in mouth, black tongue, weight gain, itching or a rash, swelling of the breasts (in both men and women), impotence, and difficulty in having an orgasm.
Atarax (hydroxyzine) is an antihistamine, generally used to treat or prevent allergy symptoms. In MS patients it is used to relieve sensory symptoms, including itching or burning sensations. Common side effects include dizziness, drowsiness, blurred vision, dry mouth, and headache.
Deltasone (prednisone) is a corticosteroid, typically used to treat inflammation and to suppress the immune system. In MS patients it is used to manage acute exacerbations. Side effects can include insomnia, mood changes, increased appetite, gradual weight gain, acne, increased sweating, skin problems, headaches, nausea, and gastric disorders.
Dilantin (phenytoin) works as an anticonvulsant. In MS patients the drug is used to reduce painful sensations caused by demyelination of sensory pathways in the brain and spinal cord. Common side effects include nausea, vomiting, constipation, dizziness, nervousness, and sleep disorders.
Klonopin (clonazepam) belongs to group of drugs called benzodiazepines. It slows nerve messages in the central nervous system (brain and spinal cord). In MS patients it is used to manage pain or spasticity. Side effects can include drowsiness, dizziness, problems with walking or coordination, depression, fatigue, and problems with memory.
Neurontin (gabapentin) is an anti-epileptic drug, used in MS patients to control pain caused by nervous system lesions and spasticity. Common side effects include dizziness, drowsiness, and headache.
Pamelor and Aventin (nortriptyline) are antidepressants. In MS patients, these drugs are used to treat neuropathic or nerve pain in the arms and legs (burning sensations, pins and needles, and stabbing pains). Side effects can include gastric disorders, mouth pain or an unusual taste, black tongue, appetite or weight changes, itching or rash, breast swelling (both genders), impotence, and difficulty having an orgasm.
Pyridium (phenazopyridine) is a pain reliever for the lower part of the urinary tract. Although not an antibiotic, phenazopyridine is used to treat urinary tract infection, and relieve feelings of pain, burning and discomfort while urinating. Common side effects include headache, dizziness, stomach pain, upset stomach, and skin itching.
Tegretol (carbamazepine) is an anticonvulsant, generally used to treat seizures and nerve pain. In MS patients it is used to relieve the shock-like pain caused by trigeminal neuralgia (a chronic pain that affects the trigeminal nerve, which carries sensations from the face to the brain), as well as pain associated with spasticity and spasms. Common side effects can include dizziness, loss of coordination, problems with walking, nausea, vomiting, and drowsiness.
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