Can Peripheral Neuropathy Pain be helped with Naloxone/Naltrexone

Can Peripheral Neuropathy Pain be helped with Naloxone/Naltrexone?

A little known study done a few years back shows promise for treating the pain of peripheral neuropathy by injecting Naloxone/Naltrexone. If you wonder what these medications are let's refresh you. The rampant use of opioids has unfortunately created many drug addicts who overdose.
Police departments and first responders all now carry Naloxone or Naltrexone with them to treat overdoses. The drug addict who is overdosing is brought out of the overdose with the administration of Naloxone/Naltrexone. It is a life-saving measure. It works by canceling out the effects of the drug overdose.
A study done on mice showed that by administering Naloxone/Naltrexone to a traumatically induced neuropathy that the pain receptors in the brain, specifically Toll-Like Receptor 4 can be turned off, thus decreasing the pain stimulus. The Naloxone/Naltrexone act as antagonists to the Toll-Like Receptor 4. This has been shown in injury-induced neuropathic pain only. The Toll-Like Receptor 4 initiates the pain receptors by activating microglial cells in the spinal cord. The administration of Naloxone/Naltrexone suppresses the activation of the microglial cells.
Without getting too technical the microglia cells mediate immune responses in the central nervous system by clearing cellular debris through cell phagocytosis. This does not mean that the use of Naloxone/Naltrexone is able to treat peripheral neuropathy but it does show promise. It also helps us to understand the nerve pathways involved in neuropathy.
Further studies are warranted to determine if Naloxone/Naltrexone can be helpful to treat diabetic neuropathy and Chemo-induced peripheral neuropathy. Neuropathy@CoreHealth is Fairfield County's Largest Provider of Home Based Neuropathy Care. Located at 551 Post Road in Darien can be reached at 203-875-0846. We participate with the Foundation for Peripheral Neuropathy.