Gabapentin Use For Pain Or Anxiety

Gabapentin is a pharmaceutical drug prescribed by doctors against seizures and epileptic symptoms. The Federal Drug Administration approved the drug’s use for neuropathic pain, hot flashes, and restless leg syndrome.

There have been claims that the drug can be used to treat various types of pain and lessen the effects of anxiety. Hence, many types of research were conducted on the drug by different organizations to test these claims.

Can Gabapentin Reduce Pain?

Gabapentin was originally created to treat seizures. However as further researches were done on the drug, researchers and various organizations were able to ascertain that the drug can be used for other purposes, one of such is pain relief.

Listed below are the types of pain that various governments internationally have approved Gabapentin can treat:

Diabetic Neuropathy- the European Federation of Neurological Societies issued a guideline way back in 2010 stating that Gabapentin can be used as a first-line treatment against this type of pain. Diabetic Neuropathy is a pain experienced by people afflicted with diabetes mellitus. Research showed that those who take the drug to relieve pain could feel a 38% decrease in pain. (1)







Postherpetic Neuralgia- it was approved the same time as diabetic neuropathy. This is a type of pain felt by people with varicella zoster virus or a kind of herpesvirus. A Cochrane review showed that individuals who took the drug felt a 34% reduction in pain when taking the drug. (2)







Central Neuropathic Pain- the drug is said to be able to treat pain which is caused by damages in the somatosensory system, or the nerves involved in our sense of touch. A 2010 research showed that the drug is very effective for neuropathic pain caused by cancer. (3)

Further studies on the drug implied that the drug could improve the efficacy of morphine or oxycodone if taken together, both of which are opioid pain relievers. However, using too much of any of the drugs may end up in an overdose.

There have been claims that Gabapentin can reduce migraine pain among adults. However, a 2013 Cochrane review concluded that there is no sufficient evidence to say that the drug can cure headaches. The American Head Society also issued a guideline supporting the Cochrane review’s findings.

Can Gabapentin Treat Anxiety?

There have been claims that Gabapentin can treat Anxiety disorders and other mental illness such as bipolar disorder. However, there have been very little to evidence to support this assertion. Most researchers that concluded in affirmation were shown to have conducted their studies with faulty variables.

Ironically, overdosing or misusing the drug is known to cause anxiety, depression, and bipolar disorder. This shows that using the drug beyond its recommended use and without supporting, researchers can result in more damage than cure.

Gabapentin has been proven to be very effective when used to prevent and control seizures. There may have been claims that it can do treat other things. However, it is best to use other alternatives until a reliable research proves that it can indeed treat this diseases.

Using Gabapentin for purposes not supported by any research can endanger a person’s health. Some of the adverse effects a person may experience may include drowsiness, fatigue, peripheral edema (swelling of extremities), ataxia, tremors, and nystagmus. It is important that you consult your doctor before taking the drug for any reason.

“Gabapentin”. The American Society of Health-System Pharmacists. Retrieved Oct 23, 2015.

Attal N, Cruccu G, Baron R, et al. (September 2010). “EFNS guidelines on the pharmacological treatment of neuropathic pain: 2010 revision”. Eur. J. Neurol. 17 (9): 1113–e88.

Diabetic Neuropathy. (n.d.). Retrieved August 2, 2017, from Mayo Clinic: http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/diabetic-neuropathy/basics/risk-factors/con-20033336

Jain, K. (n.d.). Central neuropathic pain. Retrieved August 2, 2017, from MedLink: http://www.medlink.com/article/central_neuropathic_pain

Postherpetic neuralgia. (n.d.). Retrieved August 2, 2017, from Mayo Clinic: http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/postherpetic-neuralgia/basics/definition/con-20023743