Duloxetine (Cymbalta)

Cymbalta is the brand name for duloxetine. This prescription medication is an anti-depressant used to treat depression and generalized anxiety disorder (uncontrolled worrying). Duloxetine also treats pain and tingling caused by diabetic neuropathy (nerve damage). Depressive disorders may affect patients with back or neck pain, especially when pain is chronic. Duloxetine is in a class of medications called selective serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SSNRIs). Cymbalta works by increasing the amounts of serotonin and norepinephrine, natural substances in the brain that help maintain mental balance and stop the movement of pain signals in the brain.