Neuropathic pain

Neuropathic pain is caused by a functional disorder of the Central or Peripheral Nervous System. In contrast to "normal" pain, neuropathic pain does not serve any warning function. Diabetic neuropathic pain is a very common chronic pain with approximately eleven million diabetics suffering from the consequences of this chronic pain associated with their disease. Currently, there is hardly any drug which relieves this pain and patients predominantly use anti-convulsants to fight it.

Treating neuropathic pain

Neuropathic pain can be very difficult to treat. Strong opioid analgesics may provide partial relief and several classes of medications not normally thought of as analgesics are often effective, alone or in combination with opioids and other treatments. These include antidepressants and anti-convulsants.