Anticonvulsants (Gabapentin, Pregabalin, Topiramate) Found Ineffective and to have a High Risk of Side Effects for Lumbar Pain and Lumbar Radicular Pain Into The Legs.
A recent paper “Anticonvulsants in the Treatment of Low Back Pain and Lumbar Radicular Pain: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis” by Enke et. al. published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal in July 2018 calls into question the effectiveness of these commonly used medications for back pain and related leg pain..
Low Back Pain and Radicular Leg Pain Are Common.
Low back pain is one of the most common reasons someone seeks care and the leading cause of disability. Low back pain is poorly managed in health care.
The most common medical treatments generally involve several different types of medication ranging from nsaids (pain relievers sometimes called anti-inflammatories) to muscle relaxers, anticonvulsants, and opiates.
Given the well publicized risks from opiate medications, the use of anti-convulsants has grown. The prescription of anticonvulsants for back and neck pain, including radicular pain in primary care, has increased by 535% in the last 10 years.
The use of Anticonvulsants (Gabapentin, Pregabalin, Topiramate) was evaluated in the study referenced above.
Researchers did a meta-analysis of anticonvulsants studies to determine how well these medications work and how well they are tolerated by patients for low back and radiating leg pain like sciatica.
Here’s what they found…
- There is moderate to high quality evidence that anticonvulsants are not effective for treatment of low back pain or lumbar radicular pain.
- There is high quality evidence that gabapentinoids have a higher risk for adverse events.
Conclusions From The Researchers…
“Evidence to date does not support the use of anticonvulsants for chronic low back pain or lumbar radicular pain.”
“This review found mostly moderate to high level quality of evidence suggesting no treatment benefit for pain and disability, and high level evidence supporting the risk of harms.”
What Can You Do For Low Back Pain and Sciatica?
Most low back pain and radicular leg pain is a physical, mechanical problem in the spine.
Most symptom based care using the medications cited above doesn’t work well. Pain relievers/anti-inflammatories like NSAIDs can help in the short term. It should be noted that these medications can have significant side effects and some people are at a significantly higher risk (for example people with stomach problems or cardiovascular disease).
This is evidenced by the fact that this is the most common type of care yet most people still experience these problems. Low back pain related problems are the number one cause of disability.
Given that the most common treatment is failing and many people suffer often or even daily with back pain, we suggest seeing a Chiropractor. Chiropractic has been shown to be very safe and very effective at helping people with low back and leg pain.
If you think about it the effectiveness of Chiropractic for low back pain and sciatica… it makes sense because physical problems respond best to physical treatments.
Do You Need To See An Experienced Chiropractor In Texarkana?
Dr. Hagebusch has been practicing full time as a Chiropractor since 1996. Over this time, he has helped thousands of people with various neuro-musculoskeletal problems ranging from whiplash to arthritis, disc injuries, ligament injuries, joint injuries, neck pain, shoulder pain, low back pain, sciatica, related nerve problems, to various painful conditions like fibromyalgia, migraine headaches, and much more.
We’re here to help you too!
Give us a call at our Texarkana clinic so we can get you back on the road to recovery so you can feel and function better allowing you to perform your daily activities at work, at home, during your favorite hobbies and activities.
Protected by Patchstack
Leave a Reply