Low Dose Naltrexone for Pain
The low dose naltrexone (LDN) medication is intended for the treatment of chronic pain. The pain can be associated with various diseases. Such diseases include myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) and fibromyalgia.
According to the opinions of some medical specialists, the medication LDN can be represented as an inexpensive alternative to opioid therapy medications for people who suffer from chronic pain. Opioid medications work fast, but if they are taken for a long time, then they can cause such condition as pain sensitivity. That is why it is recommended not to take opioid medications for a long time. If the medication LDN is taken for some time, then it can reduce pain sensitivity. That is why it can be the most appropriate choice for the patients with chronic pain.
Naltrexone is usually taken in the dosage of 50 mg daily. This drug is an opiate antagonist and in the dosage of 50 mg a day it can be taken during the treatment of opioid and alcohol addiction. Also, this medication has an anti-inflammatory effect, since it has a peculiar mechanism, which is aimed at the functioning of microglial cells.
The dosage of the drug LDN for suppressing pain is about 4.5 mg per day. The exact dosage can be prescribed only by the doctor, as each patient has individual peculiarities, so the doses for different patients may vary.
In March, 2018, at a medical summit, the drug LDN was chosen as the main drug for the group of patients with ME/ CFS who had hyperalgesia. LDN has also been placed at the top of the wish list for the clinical trials related to the treatment of ME/ CFS.
Nowadays, there are no medications for ME / CFS that would have been accepted by the US Food and Drug Administration. The treatment of these conditions is based mostly on the relief of the symptoms and the weakening and suppression of the pain.
Even though it’s sometimes difficult to find the doctor, who can prescribe the drug LDN, there are some doctors, who say that they often recommend the drug LDN to their patients with fibromyalgia and ME/ CFS. The main complaint of such patients is severe pain, so the medication LDN is suitable for such patients, as it helps to suppress pain. Also, this drug is not expensive and the majority of the patients can afford it.
But also it should be noted that there is the question, which still does not have an answer. It is connected with the fact that it is not known exactly whether the drug LDN helps to relieve fatigue and treat other conditions associated with neuron inflammation. It is known that glial cells participate in hyperalgesia and that LDN can make the level of microglia lower.
Many ME/ CFS specialists recommend LDN to their patients. Many people believe that this drug is more suitable for fibromyalgia, but it can’t be excluded for the patients with ME/ CFS, since it can be very useful to such patients. LDN helps to relieve severe pain, besides it can also solve the problems with sleep. Usually it is recommended to start with the dosage of 1.5 mg per day and take this dosage during a week. Then the dosage is increased to 3.0 mg and taken within a week. Then the dosage can be increased to 4.5 mg per day. But remember, that the choice of the dosage is individual for each patient and only a doctor can prescribe the right dose of the medicine. For some patients, a small dose of the drug may be sufficient, while others need a dose of 6.0-7.0 mg per day to achieve the most positive effect.