How do medications treat neuralgia?

Medications treat neuralgia by providing pain relief. You may get some relief from an over-the-counter painkiller but more often than not your doctor will need to prescribe something stronger. Anticonvulsants are often used for their ability to stabilize activity in damaged nerves and antidepressants can help by increasing certain chemicals in your body that may provide some pain relief. Muscle relaxants may help too. If everything else fails, your doctor might use a local anesthetic to give you some temporary relief.