This Article  • References  • Full text PDF  • Reply to article  • Send to a friend  • Save in My Folder  • Save to citation manager  • Permissions  Citing Articles  • Citation map  • Citing articles on HighWire  • Citing articles on Web of Science (39)  • Contact me when this article is cited  Related Content  • Similar articles in this journal  Social Bookmarking   What's this?

Karl Ekbom, MD

Arch Neurol. 1972;26(4):374-378.

Abstract
Seven patients with tabes dorsalis who had severe lightning pains were treated with carbamazepine (Tegretol), 400 to 800 mg daily. In all patients freedom from pain was obtained within 24 to 72 hours. On discontinuing the treatment the pains recurred, but disappeared within one to three days when medication was reinstituted. The mean observation period was 22 months. Two patients received prolonged treatment (53/4 and 41/2 years) without a wearing off of the effect of the drug. The serum concentration of carbamazepine in these patients was the same as in ten control subjects. Observations indicate that the lightning pains are maintained by afferent impulses from the periphery and are followed by a short refractory period of varying duration. In one patient local anesthesia of the painful area blocked the pain impulses from this area.

Author Affiliations
Stockholm.

From the Department of Neurology, Karolinska sjukhuset, Stockholm

Footnotes
Accepted for publication Nov 10, 1971.

Reprint requests to the Department of Neurology, Söder sjukhuset, 100 64 Stockholm 38 (Dr. Ekbom).

CiteULike    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    Twitter     What's this?

THIS ARTICLE HAS BEEN CITED BY OTHER ARTICLES

Carbamazepine Therapy in Trigeminal Neuralgia: Clinical Effects in Relation to Plasma Concentration
Tomson et al.
Arch Neurol 1980;37:699-703.
ABSTRACT  

Carbamazepine
CRILL
ANN INTERN MED 1973;79:844-847.
ABSTRACT  

Tabetic Lightning Pains
HOOSHMAND
Arch Neurol 1973;28:70-70.
ABSTRACT