NEURONTIN AND ELAVIL FOR SLEEP
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When a person is wracked with chronic pain, especially when insomnia and burning pain is involved, physicians will try and alleviate the pain by prescribing medications such as Elavil and Neurontin. Elavil is FDA approved for depression, but has a side effect of drowsiness, so doctors use it to help chronic pain sufferers sleep. Neurontin is FDA approved for epilepsy, but it seems that nearly every other pain patient who has a symptom of burning pain is taking Neurontin! The problem with these medications is that they do not address the cause of the condition. So the medications may make a person feel somewhat better at the time, but the underlying condition continues. People on Neurontin can feel better as far as the pain is concerned, but often reiterate to me that they aren't as spontaneous and feel ”dull” in the head. They become ecstatic when I tell them Prolotherapy has a great chance of getting them off of the medication.
People with chronic pain can't sleep because they have pain. People with burning pain often either have sympathetic hyperactivity because of some traumatized or injured tissue or the burning pain is a referral symptom from a structure such as a ligament, joint, or tendon. Regardless of the cause of the burning pain, the injured or traumatized tissue should be repaired. The best treatments I know to do are comprehensive natural medicine and Prolotherapy. Caring Medical and Rehabilitation Services in Oak Park has a high success rate of helping people wean themselves off of Neurontin and Elavil. The process typically involves going over previous medical records and figuring out with the client the exact structure that needs to be repaired for the pain to go away.
Often an area that needs treatment is a sacroiliac ligament in the lower back or ligament structure in the neck. If Prolotherapy is indicated, treatment is started. The person is often told that 3-6 visits over 3-6 months will be needed. In advanced cases, treatment can even take longer. The person is typically started on a proper diet and herbal remedies to help the healing process. If needed, natural hormone replacement is started. Generally, after the first couple of treatments the person is already feeling better. Occasionally natural sleep aids are required temporarily while waiting for the Prolotherapy to kick in.
For the person on Neurontin, Elavil or other pain relievers, there are options to get off of these medications. Most people realize that it is not in their best health interest to be on medications like that for long periods of time. Prolotherapy offers a good alternative to these medications because it can often stimulate the repair of the structure(s) causing the pain. Once the pain is gone, so is the insomnia and soon thereafter the Neurontin and/or Elavil and the patient is sleeping soundly on his/her own!
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