Although doctors have been prescribing antidepressants for pain for years, this practice is becoming more frequent. The use of Cymbalta has been shown to be effective in certain cases of pain where anti-inflammatories, muscle relaxers and physical therapy have failed. Cymbalta blocks pain signals making it the only antidepressant currently approved by the Food and Drug Administration for chronic musculoskeletal pain. The drug is used largely after the healing process has begun in order to shut down continuing pain signals, sometimes described as chronic pain.
Antidepressants are classified on how they work and their chemical structure, which is why the antidepressants are moderately effective for the treatment of pain. The dosage is started at a low dose and slowly increased, however is generally lower in dose than that prescribed for depression. Normally, patients suffer few side effects from the use of antidepressants for pain. If you think you may benefit from the use of antidepressants for your pain, consult your treating physician.