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Mount Pleasant, NC
A 41-year-old male asked:

Along with ankylosing spondylitis, i have nerve pain in my leg and opposite hip. my dr gave me neurontin (gabapentin). does it just numb the nerves.

3 doctor answers7 doctors weighed in
Dr. Ronald Krauser
A Verified Doctoranswered
Rheumatology 54 years experience
No: Neurontin (gabapentin) effects how nerve endings respond to painful stimuli. It is not a pain pill.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
Dr. Walter Husar
Neurology 35 years experience
Neurontin (gabapentin) or: Gabapentin act in a manner as to raise the neuropathic pain threshold so that the pain is not appreciated by the brain. It does not affect the nerves.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
Dr. Dariush Saghafi
Neurology 35 years experience
Neurontin (gabapentin) for pain: If you are saying "numb the nerves" as Lidocaine deadens the teeth for the dentist then, no. Neurontin (gabapentin) is not an anesthetic agent. It is used extensively as a pain medication in settings of neuropathy or radiculopathy as you may have but the exact way it controls pain is unknown. It may work at the level of the brain, spinal cord, or both in order to do what it does.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
Last updated Feb 2, 2015

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