Gabapentin Side Effects and Safety
This is a potent painkiller, widely known under its brand Neurontin. Itβs generally used for acute musculoskeletal conditions and some cases of nerve pain. These pills have the added benefit of relaxing the muscles and are often used in combination with other treatments to handle the cause of pain.
The medicine is used for a range of conditions, like shingles, post herpetic neuralgia and some types of seizures. Gabapentin over the counter is not available in the UK, but it can be bought online, prescription-free.
Online platforms offer cheap, quality generics via an intuitive shopping process, but since users can buy medications with no prescriptions, they should be very thorough in observing the safety precautions. Read on to learn more about possible gabapentin side effects and other aspects of safe use when applying this treatment to manage musculoskeletal pain.
Musculoskeletal Pain Conditions Explained
Musculoskeletal pain is any pain caused by conditions affecting the muscles, bones or joints. It can be caused by different things, from arthritis to low back pain and tension headaches. This type of ache is widespread, often resulting from sedentary lifestyles. Lower back pain alone is considered by the World Health Organization to be one of the leading causes of disability in the world.
The efficacy of the treatment is confirmed by many studies. One of them, published in 1998, confirms a significant reduction of pain (at least 30% on a 10-point verbal scale) in 25 out of 29 patients aged from 20 to 76, with a very low incidence of gabapentin side effects. Remarkably, the treatment was also being used against some types of neuropathic pain.
According to the NHS, some 20 million people, or close to a striking one third of the UK population, have a musculoskeletal condition. This medicine presents a way of dealing with the conditions that is effective and safe, with few gabapentin side effects.
Can you Buy Gabapentin Over the Counter?
This treatment is a class C schedule 3 regulated drug in the UK. This means it cannot be acquired at a pharmacy without a prescription. Overall, treatments for severe pain are difficult to acquire that way, as the UK pharmaceuticals market is heavily regulated.
Online pharmacies often offer this medicine prescription-free. When shopping on the internet, look for platforms certified by the General Pharmaceutical Council. They will usually have the watermark displayed on their front page.
The possible gabapentin side effects have to be taken into account when buying medicine online. This means, above all, that users should not exceed their prescribed dosage. Quality generic treatments offered by E-shops present a safe way of saving, among other benefits.
The Emergence of Internet Pharmacies?
The perks of using online shops to buy medicine are many and varied. Most of all, they have to do with savings and convenience, as customers get their gabapentin over the counter in the form of certified generics, available at a faction of the price.
Another avenue for online savings are the many promotions and bulk deals offered by shops. This is added to the low overall prices, as online pharmacies have much lower operational costs than brick-and mortar shops.
On top of that, online pharmacies operate with no prescription and offer discreet delivery, Thanks to this, customers can save time and effort on getting prescriptions and queueing at the chemistβs.
Gabapentin Side Effects
There are possible adverse events with the medicine, although the chance of them occurring is low. The treatment affects GABA receptors in the nervous systems and the adverse events are similar to ones seen with other similar-acting pills, like benzodiazepines or pregabalin.
Serious gabapentin side effects to look out for are:
- Signs of an allergic reaction.
- Changes in moods or behaviour.
- Liver or kidney abnormalities.
If any of these things happen, talk to a doctor ASAP. Also, make sure you conduct at least one medical consultation with a licensed professional prior to starting treatment. Users might have conditions that this medication could exacerbate or be taking medicines that will interact with it.
Recover Faster with a Treatment Plan
Musculoskeletal pain is caused by underlying conditions. Medicines like this treatment are great for curbing pain and inducing calm, but they will not cure the conditions that cause the ache. This is why the treatment should be applied together with other measures, with the possibility of gabapentin side effects taken into account.
There are also some conditions that are incurable, like post-herpetic neuralgia and shingles. In that case, the treatment should be combined with others to manage the symptoms. In the case of post-herpetic neuralgia, it might be combined with antidepressants, creams and plasters, or other means.
In any case, the treatment plan has to account for all doses of the medication to avoid possible gabapentin side effects. Lifestyle changes can be adopted, like regular light exercise, drinking 2-3 litres of water per day, and modifying the userβs diet.
Conclusion
This medicine helps manage pain and relax muscles, providing relief from a range of some of the most widespread conditions in the UK. From neuralgia and back pain to seizures, the treatment finds use in very different clinical circumstances.
That being said, it will also not work for some conditions, and there are possible gabapentin side effects although they are rare. All of that means users need to conduct a medical consultation when they first start the treatment.
A good treatment plan that would help avoid adverse events and reliance both should be chosen with the doctor. If possible, it should combine several means of treating the underlying condition in the long term.
About Author
Owen Jones started his career in the pharmaceutical industry 7 years ago, following his graduation from Cardiff University with a Master of Pharmacy (MPharm) degree. With a specialisation in clinical pharmacy, Owen has combined working at different major chains with consultation work on several public health projects. Owen is active on x.com or linkedin.com where you can connect with him for expert medical advice.
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