Several drugs are often used to treat symptoms of concussion, including an epilepsy drug, gabapentin (Neurontin), amitriptyline (Elavil) and other antidepressants.
What is the best medication for concussion?
During the first 24 hours
acetaminophen
(Tylenol) can be used for pain relief. After the first 24 hours, ibuprofen (Advil) and naproxen sodium (Naprosyn, Aleve) are generally more effective for pain relief, and are safe. In some patients, nausea and vomiting can be bothersome, and prescription medications can help.
What do doctors prescribe for concussions?
There are no medications that treat concussion or post-concussion syndrome
. Medicines may treat symptoms such as headaches or nausea. However, in the first four hours after the injury, bleeding in the brain is a serious risk, so NSAIDs, such as aspirin or ibuprofen, should be avoided.
Does gabapentin harm your brain?
Chronic administration of gabapentin and carbamazepine
may cause increase in neurodegenerative changes
in the adult brain.
Does gabapentin help with concussion?
Conclusions:
Patients recover from a concussion with time
, regardless of medication. Gabapentin and TCAs appear to have immediate effects on improving symptom burden, but long-term outcomes show similar improvement compared to those who are not prescribed medication.
Why is gabapentin bad?
Gabapentin may interact with certain types of substances and cause
negative side effects
. For example, mixing alcohol and gabapentin can cause people to feel dizzy or tired. Despite the risk of bad side effects of using gabapentin, it can be more dangerous to stop using it. Gabapentin use can cause physical dependence.
Is gabapentin like Xanax?
Gabapentin is used off-label to
treat anxiety
. Xanax belongs to a different drug class called benzodiazepines, and is used primarily to treat anxiety disorders and panic attacks. Brand names for gabapentin include Neurontin, Horizant, and Gralise.
What not to do if you have a concussion?
- Relax at home. …
- Avoid or cut down on screen time. …
- Don’t drive.
- Avoid all sports and any activities (such as roughhousing with friends, or riding a bike or skateboard) that could lead to another head injury.
- Sleep:
How can I tell if a head injury is mild or severe?
- Mild head injury: Raised, swollen area from a bump or a bruise. Small, superficial (shallow) cut in the scalp. …
- Moderate to severe head injury (requires immediate medical attention)–symptoms may include any of the above plus: Loss of consciousness.
How long should you stay awake after a concussion?
Do not allow the athlete (or concussed individual) to sleep for at least
3 hours
after the injury. May not need to wake the athlete throughout the night, but monitoring them throughout the night is prudent.
How do doctors treat severe concussions?
Your doctor will recommend that
you physically and mentally rest to recover from a concussion
. Relative rest, which includes limiting activities that require thinking and mental concentration, is recommended for the first two days after a concussion.
What helps anxiety from concussions?
- Psychotherapy. It may be helpful to discuss your concerns with a psychologist or psychiatrist who has experience in working with people with brain injury.
- Medication.
How serious is a mild concussion?
Even if you’ve been told that you’ve only experienced a “mild concussion,” all concussions should be considered serious events. In most cases it’s true that a single concussion is unlikely to cause permanent brain damage. However, even having a mild concussion
puts you at an increased risk of another concussion
.
Is gabapentin memory loss permanent?
One study found that long-term administrations of Gabapentin alone
did not cause memory loss or memory impairment
. Patients can, however, experience brain fog or slight confusion upon taking this medication, but nothing as severe as dementia.
How long should you stay on gabapentin?
The risks of withdrawal are higher if you’re taking high doses or have been on gabapentin for longer than
6 weeks
.
Do you lose weight on gabapentin?
The surgery group given prophylactic gabapentin had
68.5% less weight loss than the untreated group
(2.40 kg vs 7.63 kg, P = . 02), and the p16-positive group receiving prophylactic gabapentin showed 60% less weight loss than their untreated counterparts (3.61 kg vs 9.02 kg; P = . 004).
