Drug Combo Blocks Pain Without Impairing Movement

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Woolf noted that this type of anesthetic could make dental visits easier. "Someone going to the dentist would be able to have a dental procedure without numbness," he said.

The anesthetic also could be used during childbirth. "The woman would feel something, but not pain," Woolf said. "More importantly, she would be able to walk instead of being paralyzed for some time, and there wouldn't be a reduction in blood pressure, which is a major reason why after an epidural people have to be monitored and kept flat," he said.

A problem with the treatment is that the capsaicin can cause burning sensations until the QX-314 takes effect. But giving QX-314 about 10 minutes before the capsaicin minimizes this problem, Woolf noted.

The researchers are looking for ways to prevent the burning sensations. "We need to get a formulation that is as effective in humans as it was in the animals," Woolf said.

They are also looking for ways to prolong the pain relief and at the possibility of developing a pill instead of using injections, Woolf said.

McCleskey thinks this new method of pain control could treat conditions such as sciatica.

"There, you know the nerve that is causing pain, and if you could inject this cocktail into that nerve you could just eliminate pain," he said. "That would be huge."

More information

For more information on pain, visit the U.S. National Library of Medicine.