Pregabalin vs Gabapentin? Which is better for Nerve Pain?

Pregabalin vs Gabapentin, nerve pain caused by a disease Shingles is the issue for which these two drugs namely Pregabalin & Gabapentin are prescribed for. In this article we will draw a comparison between these two nerve pain relief drugs based upon various factors and hence decide which is a better option among the two or whether both of these can be considered equally effective.

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Before we move on towards drawing the comparison, let me give you a little surprise by mentioning a list of all the possible questions about these two meds that might be swimming across your mind leaving you confused & restless:

Does Pregabalin work better than Gabapentin for nerve pain issues?
How does Gabapentin compare to Pregabalin for chronic pain of the nerve?
Which is stronger: Pregabalin or Gabapentin? And Why?
What is the Gabapentin v/s Pregabalin for anxiety & nerve pain use case?

Shocked? Let me now surprise you even more by making this article a one-stop-answer to all your questions regarding the use case and effectiveness of the two meds.

Factors upon which we will compare the two meds are:
Basic Details of Both
Working Mechanism
Use case
Potential Side effects.

What Disease Starts with Muscle Spasms?

What is Pregabalin?

Sold under the brand name Lyrica, Pregabalin belongs to the category of meds called gabapentinoids and is antiepileptic in nature. The medicine is generally prescribed to the individuals suffering with issues like nerve pain caused due to Shingles & also to treat seizures.

What is Gabapentin?

Sold under the brand name Neurontin, Gabapentin is also an antiepileptic drug in nature belonging to the gabapentinoids group. Just like Pregabalin, Gabapentin is also prescribed to the patients suffering with seizures and nerve pain.

What is the Working Mechanism of:

Pregabalin

GABA – Gamma-aminobutyric acid is the inhibitory neurotransmitter with which the drug Pregabalin shares a structural & chemical relationship since both of them are concerned with modulating the special calcium channels in the body that are voltage gated.

The drug actually works by interacting with the GABA cells present in your brain and blocks the passage of the neurotransmitter signals that excite nerve pain and related symptoms.

Gabapentin

Gabapentin or Neurontin has a working mechanism exactly similar to that of Pregabalin being a gabapentinoid in nature. Gabapentin also modulates the voltage gated calcium channels inside one’s body and treats nerve pain by blocking the neurotransmitter signals that excite conditions like nerve pain symptoms.

What are the Uses of Pregabalin?

Pregabalin is primarily used to treat the issue of partial onset seizure being a gabapentinoid in nature. The drug also serves a major use case in the nerve pain caused after a disease called shingles.

Apart from the above two commonly known uses, the drug is also used to treat a special condition called the Restless Leg Syndrome where an individual develops restless leg reflexes to various situations that trigger their underlying conditions such as anxiety or hypertension.

What are the Uses of Gabapentin?

Similar to Pregabalin, Gabapentin or Neurontin is primarily used to treat the issues of Nerve pain post-shingles and also extended seizures. Two other very common issues for which the drug is used are the Diabetic Nerve Damage & Spinal Injury Nerve Pain.

What are the usual prescription and risks for Gabapentin Tabs

What are the Side Effects of Pregabalin?

Commonly observed side-effects of the medicine are as follows:

Extended Headaches
Swelling of Hands & Limbs
Constipation & Indigestion
Dizziness & Drowsiness Feelings

The rare and some serious side-effects of the medicine are:

A Disease called Rhabdomyolysis which brings some unbearable symptoms along with it that are extreme fever, chills, nerve & muscle pain and weakness in the affected muscles.

What are the Side Effects of Gabapentin?

Commonly observed side-effects of the medicine are as follows:

Dizziness & Drowsiness Feelings
Shaking of The Body
Weak Digestion
Diarrhea Symptoms
Overall Weakness

As per the present medical research, Gabapentin till now has not been situated with any severe side effects unlike Pregabalin.

Conclusion

All read & done? We have now reached an end of the comparison between the two drugs that can be used to treat your nerve pain effectively.

We drew a complete comparison between the two to help you get a better understanding of the efficiency & effectiveness of both. Yet, before you make a decision, we highly recommend you to visit your doctor, get your full body checked, get your condition diagnosed and then move ahead with the correct form of treatment that cures your nerve pain permanently.