Today's short post from news-medical.net (see link below) looks at the potential for an antibiotic being used for analgesic purposes. Studies have shown that a dose of Ceftriaxone, an antibiotic used to kill microbes before surgery, has a significant effect on pain thresholds after the surgery. A small Italian study is mentioned here, involving 45 patients undergoing neuro surgery of one form or another. Those patients who had been injected with a single dose of the antibiotic prior to surgery could withstand post operative pain significantly better than those who did not. There are implications for the future treatment of neuropathic pain, if the process can be further refined and better targeted. This sort of study may mean little to the casual reader but it does illustrate the process of getting a new treatment into general practice. First, as is the case here, a success story has to be spotted and then others will take the idea or theory and try to apply it to other general situations. It may take years but at least you now know that an antibiotic can perform an analgesic function and may provide an alternative pain prevention tool in the future.
A single dose of the antibiotic ceftriaxone given for antimicrobial prophylaxis prior to surgery enhanced patient pain thresholds after the procedure, according to a study published in The Journal of Pain, the peer review publication of the American Pain Society, www.americanpainsociety.org.
Previous studies have shown that drugs with a mode of action to enhance glutamate clearance might be effective in the treatment of chronic pain. In animals, repeated does of the antibiotic ceftriaxone have reduced both visceral and neuropathic pain. The drug induces activation of the GLT-1 gene. This is the first study to explore the analgesic activity of ceftriaxone in humans.
Researchers at University Sapienza in Rome analyzed whether a single dose of ceftriaxone given for antimicrobial prophylaxis prior to surgery could enhance patient pain thresholds after surgery. Forty-five patients undergoing surgery for carpal tunnel syndrome or ulner nerve compression disease participated in the study. They were randomized in three treatment groups: IV doses of saline, saline with ceftriaxone and saline with cefazolin. Injections were administered one hour prior to surgery, and mechanical pain thresholds were measured 10 minutes before the injections and 4 to 6 hours following surgery. No analgesic drugs were allowed in the first six hours after surgery.
Results in the human subjects showed that those treated with saline and cefazolin showed no change in mechanical pain thresholds six to seven hours after surgery, but pain thresholds in patients given a single preoperative does of ceftriaxone increased significantly.
This is the first study showing analgesia resulted from administration of an antibiotic in humans. The authors concluded that ceftriaxone should be the drug of choice for surgical prophylaxis in situations when pain does not rapidly resolve following surgery or when strong pain is expected to occur after surgery.
SOURCE American Pain Society
http://www.news-medical.net/news/20130626/Study-explores-analgesic-activity-of-ceftriaxone-in-humans.aspx
Today's post from jbbardot.com (see link below) is a useful and informative article about what many call alternative treatments for neuropathic pain but are really more supplements, designed to help reduce the impact of the symptoms. It's important to realise that none of these treatments will work on their own. The key words are 'help to reduce'. Any successful treatment for nerve pain symptoms has to be based on a holistic view of your problems. The treatments mentioned here will probably help in combination with lifestyle changes, regular medication and mental adjustments but you need to explore the options to find what works best for you. Furthermore, they all need time to work (if they're going to work at all), so buying one pot and giving up after two weeks will not help you except by helping to empty your wallet. You need to do your research and find out what's best for your own situation and that, in combination with a good discussion with your doctor. Unfortunately, there are no miracle cures for nerve pain but there are hundreds of choices as to how you can best relieve your own pain. The suggestions mentioned below represent just some of the options you have.
Posted by JB Bardot 2017
Peripheral or diabetic neuropathy affects 60-70 percent of all diabetics with stabbing, burning pain in the hands, feet and especially the toes, according to DiabeticLiving.com. Additionally, many non-diabetics are affected with painful neuropathies of no known cause. Initially experienced as numbness, and tingling of the affected parts, neuropathies often develop into feelings of having hot or icy needles stabbing sensitive flesh. Pharmaceutical medicines may or may not help manage pain, and often produce unwanted side effects. Fortunately, there is a more natural, multi-disciplinary approach to pain management using a variety of home remedies, herbs, supplements, homeopathic remedies, and lifestyle adjustments.
Herbs, supplements and homeopathic remedies
• Topical applications of cayenne pepper mixed with olive or coconut oil relieves neuropathy pain for some people. Capsicum, the active ingredient in cayenne, may feel hot to the skin initially; however, it binds to the body’s pain receptors, fooling the neural pathways and lessening pain over a period of time.
• Omega 3 fatty acids in the form of fish oil supplements provide healthy fats that soothe nerves, helping to relieve pain and inflammation from peripheral neuropathy. Omega 3 fatty acids are also found in flax seeds and oil, borage oil and Evening primrose oil.
• Homeopathic remedies are effective at providing relief from peripheral neuropathies for many people. Remedies such as Plumbum Met, Phosphoric Acid, Phosphorous, Zincum Met, Pulsatilla, Graphites, Lachesis, Gelsemium, Baryta Carb, Causticum, Zincum Phos, Agaricus, Mercurius, Sulphur, Cuprum Met, and Rhus Tox. This list is not exhaustive. Consult a homeopath for the correct remedy based on your individual case.
• Acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) reduce stress hormones which can be the cause of some neuropathies. Treatment eventually leads to the reduction of inflammation and pain.
• Lecithin, a fat emulsifier, will reduce diabetic neuropathy pain by working to protect the liver and pancreas from the effects of eating oils high in trans fats and hydrogenated fats. Lecithin is found naturally in the body and is important in the production and transmission of energy. The myelin sheaths that cover nerves are made primarily from lecithin. Most lecithin is made from eggs or soy and it’s important to use a product that’s organic and labeled non-GMO.
• High doses of the B vitamin, Inositol added to one’s diet has been shown to reduce pain and the frequency of peripheral neuropathies. Additionally, increase doses of vitamin B-complex — especially B-6 and B-12 — to help calm and repair damaged nerves and provide pain relief.
• Alpha Lipoic Acid (ALA) works to regenerate nerves damaged by diabetes and other causes. ALA is a sulfur-containing compound found naturally in the body. Some studies suggest that this antioxidant may actually improve circulation, enhance the action of insulin and reduce oxidative stress, thus preventing neuropathies.
• Keep your body alkaline by drinking a pH drink from 1 to 3 times daily. Mix 2 Tbs. fresh lime or lemon juice with 1/2 tsp. baking soda. Allow all foaming and fizzing to go flat. Add 10 – 12 oz. water and drink all at once.
• Manage pain and frequency of attacks by keeping glucose levels stable, suggests pain specialist Dr. Robert Gerwin, of Johns Hopkins University. There are a number of ways to maintain blood sugar. Eat foods lower on the glycemic index scale and avoid those whose numbers are high. Take a daily supplement consisting of cinnamon and chromium to lower glucose levels and help prevent diabetic neuropathies.
Lifestyle adjustments
• Wear well-fitting shoes, with large toe boxes.
• Protect hands and feet in winter with warm socks, gloves and shoes that keep feet dry.
• Sit with legs uncrossed to encourage good circulation.
• Stop smoking cigarettes. Smoking causes the blood vessels to constrict, worsening circulation and aggravating neuropathy pain.
http://www.jbbardot.com/home-remedies-and-alternative-treatments-for-diabetic-foot-pain-and-peripheral-neuropathy-2/
Today's post from vitamindcouncil.org (see link below) makes some remarkable claims about the benefits of a single, high-dosage injection of vitamin D for neuropathy patients. The results were seen after some weeks and had no effect on the disability of a patient but definitely on the severity of their symptoms. Personally, I find it an encouraging research but it definitely needs some significant follow-up to confirm its conclusions. The injections were intra-muscular and therefore administered by a doctor or medical professional, which may be a good thing, to dissuade people from rushing to the supplement store to swallow 600,000 IU of vitamin D in pill form in one go! Vitamin D supplementation has been a buzz therapy among the neuropathy communities for some time now but most doctors will agree that vitamin D supplementation is only really necessary if there is proven vitamin D deficiency. The word has it that it is certainly beneficial for nerve health but you need to do more of your own research and consult with a trusted medical professional before embarking on a self-help course of vitamin D. Most articles place an emphasis on diabetes-related neuropathy patients but as we all know by now, that's only because the vast majority of neuropathy sufferers come from the diabetic community. Most information regarding neuropathy applies to the condition irrespective of its cause. More articles can be found by using the search button to the right of this blog.
Posted on April 11, 2016 by Amber Tovey
A new study published in the journal BMJ Open Diabetes Research and Care discovered that treatment with a single intramuscular dose of 600,000 IU of vitamin D in patients with painful diabetic neuropathy caused significant reductions in symptoms.
Diabetic neuropathy is a type of nerve disorder that can occur if a person has diabetes. High blood sugar can injure nerves throughout the body, but diabetic neuropathy most commonly affects nerves in the legs and feet. It often causes pain and numbness in the extremities, but may also cause problems in the gastrointestinal tract, urinary tract, blood vessels and heart.
Approximately 21% of the population is affected by painful diabetic neuropathy. Treatments for diabetic neuropathy are limited. The therapeutic effectiveness for all medications is at best near 50% pain relief. In addition, most of the medications are accompanied by unwanted side effects. This has left the medical community searching for new treatments.
A previous study suggested vitamin D supplementation may help treat diabetic neuropathy. The researchers found that weekly vitamin D supplementation of 50,000 IU for 8 weeks reduced symptoms but not disability. In an effort to confirm the treatment effect of vitamin D on diabetic neuropathy, researchers recently conducted a prospective open-labeled trial in Pakistan.
A total of 143 patients with type 1 or type 2 diabetes were included in the study. All patients received a single intramuscular dose of 600,000 IU of vitamin D3.Pain was assessed using three different questionnaires: The Douleur Neuropathique 4 (DN4), total McGill pain and Short Form McGill Pain Questionnaire (SFMPQ). The researchers wanted to compare pain severity before and after the administration of the vitamin D injection. Here is what they found:
Average vitamin D levels increased from 31.7 ng/ml at baseline to 46.2 ng/ml at week 20.
Total McGill pain score, DN4 and SFMPQ significantly decreased after vitamin D administration (p is less than 0.001).
The researchers concluded,
“The administration of 600 000 IU of vitamin D results in a modest but significant increase in 25(OH)D levels measured at 20 weeks. This improvement in 25(OH)D levels was associated with an improvement in several independent measures of PDN, which became significant approximately 10 weeks after administration of vitamin D.”
The researchers noted that the average vitamin D levels of the patients at baseline was much higher than previous studies, indicating that a proportion had likely received vitamin D supplementation from their primary physician previously. This shows vitamin D supplementation has become a more widely accepted practice for diabetic patients.
Future studies should follow a randomized controlled trial design and use a daily dosage regimen.
Citation
Tovey, A.; Cannell, JJ. Research finds vitamin D to be a safe and effective treatment for painful diabetic neuropathy. The Vitamin D Council Blog ; Newsletter, 2016.
https://www.vitamindcouncil.org/blog/research-finds-vitamin-d-to-be-a-safe-and-effective-treatment-for-painful-diabetic-neuropathy/
Today's post from spacecoastdaily.com (see link below) revisits an older animal poison and its potential for alleviating nerve pain. We're still on the tip of the iceberg regarding the use of venoms from the natural world to help with chronic pain but as more money is ploughed into research, it's becoming clear that there is an enormous potential in the poisons of spiders, fish, snakes, scorpions and the rest, to significantly aid us in controlling pain in humans. In this article, the venom-based, pump-action fluid Prialt is used (Prialt (or Zoconitide) is a non-narcotic synthetic form of a naturally occurring venom (neurotoxin) found in the Conus Magus snail) as an effective alternative to standard pain medications. This also means a lessened future reliance on chemical pills. Yet again another by-product of the current hysteria about opioids and overdosing - pharmaceutical companies are beginning to see the financial benefit in investing in alternative sources of analgesics. It's like they say: every disadvantage has its advantage😌 By using the search button to the right of this blog, you will come across more articles about this subject.
Cone Snail Venom Effective Remedy For Pain By Dr. Richard Gayles // June 21, 2013
ARTICLE COURTESY OF SPACE COAST MEDICINE & ACTIVE LIVING MAGAZINE
Broadly speaking, there are two types of pain. There is nociceptive pain, which is caused by tissue injury or inflammation. This pain tends to be temporary, lessening as the tissues heal.
THE INTRATHECAL PUMP delivers Prialt directly into the spinal space. The entire pump system is placed under the skin, and the pump is refilled every 60- 90 days by placing a needle through the skin into the pump. (Shutterstock image)
The second type of pain is far more difficult to manage and is called neuropathic pain. This pain is caused by trauma to the nervous system that directly injures nerves or interferes with the ability of nerves to process pain signals.
The intrathecal pump delivers Prialt directly into the spinal space. The entire pump system is placed under the skin, and the pump is refilled every 60- 90 days by placing a needle through the skin into the pump.
Neuropathic Pain
For patients with neuropathic pain, oral medications are often unsatisfactory. The typical patient with severe neuropathic pain has failed trials of physical therapy, TENS units, anti seizure medications (neurotin, lyrica, topamax, lamictal), anti depressant medications (Elavil, pamelor, cymbalta, effexor), and eventually may be placed on narcotics.
Prialt (or Zoconitide) is a non-narcotic synthetic form of a naturally occurring venom (neurotoxin) found in the Conus Magus snail. The snail’s venom was known since antiquity as a topical remedy for burns, abscesses and other wounds.
Neuropathic pain often does not respond well to oral narcotics, resulting in some patients being placed on escalating doses.
The most concerning aspects of high dose narcotics are side effects (which increase with the dose), tolerance (loss of effect with time requiring increasing doses), hyperalgesia (escalating doses paradoxically increasing pain), physical dependence (withdrawal if narcotics are suddenly stopped) and, rarely, addiction (uncontrolled use and craving).
Naturally Occuring Venom
Prialt (or Zoconitide) is a non-narcotic synthetic form of a naturally occurring venom (neurotoxin) found in the Conus Magus snail. The snail’s venom was known since antiquity as a topical remedy for burns, abscesses and other wounds.
Cone snails are hunting animals, which use neurotoxins to paralyze their prey. The snails use their harpoon like limb to grab, inject, and then consume the fish after it is paralyzed. Prialt is now FDA approved specifically for neuropathic pain.
In fish, prialt is a paralyzing agent, but in humans it reduces or stops pain transmission.
If taken by mouth prialt would be rapidly and completely destroyed by our digestive enzymes. Therefore, Prialt is only delivered by the Medtronic pain pump directly into the spinal canal fluid.
In the spinal fluid the Prialt molecules block pores on pain sensing nerve cells, which stops the flow of calcium into the cells. This reduction of calcium flow prevents the nerve cells from sending signals to the brain, reducing the perception of pain.
When used in the pain pump, Prialt can often reduce neuropathic pain allowing the patient to significantly reduce or wean off narcotics.
The pain management physician determines that a patient is a good candidate for Prialt by administering a test dose in which a small amount of Prialt is injected into the spine under x-ray guidance.
The patient is then observed closely and pain levels are recorded for the next several hours. Then the patient is asked to perform specific exercises to determine the drug’s effect on the pain. If greater than 70-80 percent of the pain is reduced, the trial of Prialt is considered successful.
After the successful test dose with Prialt, the patient may be scheduled for implantation of a Medtronic intrathecal pump.
Pump Implantation
The pump implantation is a minor outpatient surgical procedure, which provides the patient with a constant infusion of the pain relieving Prialt. After implantation, the pump is programmed to deliver slowly increasing amounts of Prialt to minimize drug side effects.
THIS SEQUENCE of events shows a cone snail catching, injecting, paralyzing, and swallowing a helpless fish.
As the Prialt dose increases and pain is reduced, narcotics are simultaneously weaned.
If you have a severe pain condition that has failed all other standard conservative therapies, consider undergoing evaluation by a pain management specialist to determine if this mode of direct intrathecal medication therapy is appropriate for you.
Facts About Cone Snail
Less than one percent of the more than 500 species of cone snails have been studied. Each snail produces multiple neurotoxins in its venom. Some scientists feel the cone snails hold more promise for new medicines than any other species in nature.
Different snail toxins in preclinical trials already hold promise for new treatments for pain, Parkinson’s Disease, and depression. The snails are found in the warm tropical coral reefs.
Unfortunately the coral reefs are being destroyed; over 26 percent of the reefs are damaged beyond repair and between 30 to 50 percent are severely degraded. If the reefs are lost, we also lose the potential cure for many diseases.
http://spacecoastdaily.com/2013/06/cone-snail-venom-effective-remedy-for-pain/
