Pregabalin, commonly used for sciatica, no better than placebo. Read the article below.
“A common sciatica drug has been found to be no more effective than a placebo, according to a study published in the New England Journal of Medicine.
The study also found that people taking the drug pregabalin reported nearly twice as many adverse side effects as those receiving the placebo.
Sciatica (which is characterised by pain, tingling or numbness along the sciatic nerve) is estimated to affect about one in 100 people. Since its introduction in 2004, pregabalin – also known by its brand name Lyrica – has become the most widely prescribed medicine for the condition.
The researchers began their investigation having become increasingly concerned by the rise in the use of the drug, coupled with limited data on its effectiveness and fears over the drug’s safety. One of the possible serious side effects is suicidal thoughts or actions.
They followed 209 people with sciatica over the course of a year. After eight weeks there was no significant difference in pain intensity between the group taking pregabalin and those receiving the placebo. Over one year there was no significant difference in the amount of days lost from work.”
“It is important to point out, though, that the study is focussed specifically on the efficacy of pregabalin in treating sciatica, not its efficacy in treating other conditions like anxiety, or neuropathic pain as a whole.”
