Living with Ulnar Nerve Palsy (UNP) can be a tough feat. The constant uncontrollable shakes, the sore bone and muscle, and the loss of sensation in limbs can all be huge distractions when trying to live your everyday life.
So, finding a way to calm and treat these ulnar nerve pain symptoms as effectively as possible becomes a priority.
Often times, the more promoted method of curing and soothing ulnar nerve palsy is going through extensive surgeries, which are then followed by one to two years’ worth of therapeutic recovery.
These can be all too expensive and time consuming in the constantly moving world. It can be hard to conjure up thousands of dollars for one surgical procedure that could possibly be found to be ineffective years after the fact.
So nowadays, the more convenient and sought out form of pain relief among ulnar nerve palsy patients is found in modern medication.
Thankfully, with the advancement of modern medicine and prescription drugs, the solution to these aches and pains can be one doctor’s visit away.
However, all of the research on Ulnar Nerve pain has become so extensive that are so many drugs and relief products on the market.
It can seem overwhelming to have to wade through all of those medications. But we are to help! In this article, we will streamline the seven top medications readily prescribed to relive your ulnar inflicted pain at your own disposal.
Amitriptyline (Rx)
Pros:
- Tones down the pain felt throughout the body (almost like a pleasant numbing effect)
- Can be taken regularly
- Lessening in shakes and uncontrolled muscular discomfort and/or movement
Although this drug is normally used for treating clinical depression, it has shown itself effective in treating ulnar nerve pain as well.
This is due to the medication’s purpose which inhibits the reuptake of serotonin in the body’s neuron system; thus, causing the pain in a specified area to decrease greatly.
It calms heavy anxiety driven feelings and tendencies that can also arise when dealing with ulnar nerve pain.
Staring with a low dosage, the body will become accustomed to the refreshed ordering system which guides the proper neurotransmitters to stop pain more readily; and before long, it’ll be stopping the pain before your body can react. Leading, to a normal and functional life.
Cons:
- Sedative properties vary on body chemistry; too strong a dose can cause unwanted torpor
- In rare cases, can cause hypersensitivity
- Should be used in caution for patients with cardiovascular disease or diabetes
Nortriptyline (Rx)
Pros:
- Incredibly effective in treating chronic pain over a long period of usage
- Helps reign in full control of body actions
- Increases energy levels to a more average (or above average) state
- Balances natural chemicals in the brain
This tricyclic antidepressant is known for specifically warding off unwanted chronic pain. Whether it be in the limbs, muscle, or nerves, the pain is eradicated quickly after taking a prescribed dose of this product.
This is because of the medication’s main goal of neutralizing the brain and nerve receptor of the body.
This means that it will cap off and relieve the firing pain receptors in the central nervous system which causes the pain of ulnar nerve palsy to feel so intense.
Cons:
- Can cause drowsiness if too much of the product is prescribed at too high a dosage or too much is taken at once
- Weight gain can happen when not exercises while taking the medication
- Constipation and trouble urinating can occur when first starting the medication
Desipramine (Rx)
Pros:
- Increases the activity of chemicals, neurotransmitters, and more in the central nervous system
- Calms and lessens spurts of pain and low level ache and discomfort from ulnar nerve pain
A neurotransmitter reuptake inhibitor (and, another tricyclic antidepressant), this medication is prescribed to maintaining a regular lessening of pain. Unlike nortriptyline, this is not used for patients with chronic pain issues. Instead, it focuses on those in the mild to medium categories among ulnar nerve pain patients.
While dissipating regular pain spurts, it also increases appetite and energy levels; this often includes a restoring of interest in daily life and activity—which is a side effect because the rug is also used to help treat depression and its affiliated illnesses.
Cons:
- Can cause weakness, blurred vision, and/or constipation if taken too late in the day
- Lethargy is a common side effect seen in patrons that use this medication regularly
- Not as effective for patients with chronic pain issues
Mexiletine (Rx)
Pros:
- Quick relief and steady prescriptions usually given
- Stops constant pulses of ulnar nerve pain that can occur throughout the day without the medication
- Stabilizes the heartbeat of patients
As an antiarrhythmic agent (class 1b), this medication is known to reduce sporadic and spontaneous discharges of pain to rack through the body.
It is often only prescribed in dire cases which include intractable cases and with patients who experience both regular dysesthetic and parenthetic pain.
Cons:
- Prescribed in rare cases mostly (mainly in individuals who experience both regular dysesthetic and parenthetic pain)
- Used in emergency cases / Chronic cases
- Can cause nausea (40% chance) and vomiting (20% chance)
- Known to cause tremors, heartburn, and lightheadness when given too high a dose to take
MS Contin (Rx)
Pros:
- Relieves pain of all kinds, including that caused by ulnar nerve aches and pains
- Allows for more regular movement and daily activity doing
- Naturally formed medication (a drug made from the concentrated parts of plants)
The more common name of this medication is Morphine. It is an opioid product which is used to moderate and relieve moderate to severe pain in the body.
Only one of those many types of pain includes nerve pain. It can also cause feelings of numbness in the limbs and the brain, as it used to change the way the brain responds to firing pain receptors in real time.
Keeping all of those things in mind, it is true that this medication is effective. That is why the narcotic is used on the daily to relieve the pain of millions of patients in hospitals daily.
After distribution, it can relieve the pain in a short amount of time in an effective manner. However, it must be taken in cautious thought that it can effect one’s ability to do average daily tasks at an efficient level.
Cons:
- Incredibly addictive product to those who use it (careful consumption is a requirement)
- Can cause sedated feelings, fatigue, lightheadedness, and/or inability to think straight
- Rarely prescribed without presented evidence that it is needed in daily dosage
- A rather expensive medication to be using on the daily
Gabapentin (Rx)
Pros:
- Used specifically to prevent central nerve pain (rather than a side effect product)
- Controls seizure effects of ulnar nerve palsy
- An anticonvulsant and antiepileptic drug
This medication is specifically a membrane stabilizer. This means that it is a structural analogue of the inhibitory neurotransmitter GABA, which has little to no role in the perception of pain in the central nervous system.
The drug effectively chemically changes the way the other neurotransmitters perceive and send out signals that relate to pain in the nervous system without disturbing the neurotransmitter, GABA. Thus, the normal functions needed in the body are not effected while the pain is subdued.
Cons:
- Can cause dizziness, drowsiness, and fatigue when initially consumed
- Ataxia is a side effect that has been seen in many patients that take this drug
- Swelling of the hands, feet, and ankles often occurs over prolonged use
Pregabalin (Rx)
Pros:
- Used to treat nerve damage caused by infection and disease (like ulnar nerve palsy)
- Calms and lessens spurts of pain and low-level ache and discomfort
- Can often be paired together with other medications simultaneously
Another structural derivative of GABA, this medication can sooth pain caused by nerve damage and ulnar palsy while also not interfering with mental function to an outlandish extent.
It combats pain while also changing the brain’s view of pain and blocking before it can be felt. However, it is important to keep in mind that this drug is normally used alongside something else. This way you can combat two types of diseases at the same time.
Cons:
- Can cause weakness, blurred vision, and/or constipation
- Not as effective for patients with chronic pain issues
- Swelling of the limbs (arms/legs), as well as weight gain, can be seen in patrons that use this medication
- Difficulty concentrating can occur
Concluding Thoughts
All of the drugs discussed in this article should help with a specific type of pain that can occur when victim to ulnar nerve palsy.
Gage your pain levels and discuss with your practitioner about which products would best help you specifically calm and sooth your pain threshold.
Then they can properly prescribe the medication that best suits your condition. No surgeries or prolonged therapy sessions will be needed!
Carefully keeping up with your illness with the proper medication should increase mobility, pain relief, and your overall experience of day to day life.
So, be sure to salve your body as best you can with the medication that suits your tailor fitted needs as a medically able patron.
