Is amitriptyline as good as lortab for chronic pain?

There is no answer: Both drugs are indeed used to treat pain. There is "as good as" or "better than" when comparing these 2 agents. They are so pharmacologically different that you cannot compare the 2. Amitriptyline is sometimes used as an adjunct to "lortab" in the treatment of pain to approach the pain in a different manner.

Different : Elavil (amitriptyline) helps with the neural chemical involved in blocking pain. Lortab simply blocks the brain and central nervous system from feeling pain. They can be used together.