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Another interesting discovery in the treatment of pain has been the effectiveness of antidepressants, anticonvulsants, and the new class of centrally acting analgesics in controlling neuropathic pain. This particular type of pain is usually not relieved by NSAIDs and opioids. We've found that these "secondary" medications can be very valuable in treating chronic nonmalignant pain, such as the lingering pain that follows shingles or the pain associated with diabetic neuropathy. It's not clear exactly how these drugs work to control pain. We do know that it's not a matter of the antidepressant drugs producing a better mood and, therefore, making the person feel better in general. These secondary analgesic agents, as they're called, directly relieve a certain type of pain, and for some of our residents they do it very well.
