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Which is best: Lyrica (Pregabalin) or Neurontin (Gabapentin)?

Lyrica and neurontin are both used in the treatment of neuropathic pain. But is it that one of them is more effective in reducing pain than the other?

Mode of action: Lyrica VS Neurontin

The behavior of the two drugs is still not entirely certain, but it is known that they have a similar structure to the neurotransmitter GABA, which is responsible for calming nerves in the brain and spinal cord (central nervous system).

The two drugs are used, among other things, against Fibromyalgia, nerve pain and epileptic symptoms.

Research: Lyrica VS Neurontin

In the treatment of peripheral neuropathic pain caused by diabetic neuropathy or herpes neuralgia, a study with 1000 test subjects (Athanasakis et al, 2013) showed that Lyrica resulted in fewer days of intense and significant pain compared to Neurontin.

The study also concluded that Lyrica is a significantly more expensive drug and that this will be taken into account when doctors choose drugs for this patient group.

You can read the entire study here (in English) if desired.

Source: Athanasakis K, Petrakis I, Karampli E, Vitsou E, Lyras L, Kyriopoulos J. Pregabalin versus gabapentin in the management of peripheral neuropathic pain associated with post-herpetic neuralgia and diabetic neuropathy: a cost effectiveness analysis for the Greek healthcare setting. BMC Neurol. 2013 Jun 4;13:56. doi: 10.1186/1471-2377-13-56.

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What can I do even against pain?

1. General exercise, specific exercise, stretching and activity are recommended, but stay within the pain limit. Two walks a day of 20-40 minutes make good for the whole body and sore muscles.

2. Trigger point / massage balls we strongly recommend - they come in different sizes so you can hit well even on all parts of the body. There is no better self help than this! We recommend the following (click the image below) - which is a complete set of 5 trigger point / massage balls in different sizes:

3. Training: Specific training with training tricks of various opponents (such as this complete set of 6 knits of different resistance) can help you train strength and function. Knit training often involves more specific training, which in turn can lead to more effective injury prevention and pain reduction.

4. Pain Relief - Cooling: Biofreeze is a natural product that can relieve pain by cooling the area gently. Cooling is especially recommended when the pain is very severe. When they have calmed down then heat treatment is recommended - it is therefore advisable to have both cooling and heating available.

5. Pain Relief - Heating: Warming up tight muscles can increase blood circulation and reduce pain. We recommend the following reusable hot / cold gasket (click here to read more about it) - which can be used both for cooling (can be frozen) and for heating (can be heated in the microwave).

Recommended products for pain relief in low back pain