AntiDepressant to Help Pain in Head and Neck Cancer Patients

It's a day of hope for the head and throat cancer patients experiencing side effects from radiation therapy.  It has been found that acupuncture may help relieve chronic dry mouth symptoms in these patients.

It has now been discovered that the antidepressant called Doxepin may help relieve pain from oral mucositis, another side effect of radiation in head and neck cancer patients.

Oral mucositis is another word for mouth sores.  Obviously this is a painful condition that makes it difficult to eat, swallow or talk.

Study subjects were given an oral rinse of Doxepin (which is usually used to treat depression and anxiety)  and asked to measure their pain level at various points after rinsing with it.  Some side effects included burning, stinging and drowsiness.  However, 64% of the patients decided to continue using the Doxepin after the trial was over.



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