Carbamazepine Uses

Carbamazepine is used for treating various types of epileptic seizures, pain associated with trigeminal neuralgia (a painful nerve disorder), and manic or mixed episodes associated with bipolar disorder. The medication is approved for treating epilepsy in children, but it is not approved for treating bipolar disorder or trigeminal neuralgia in children. Off-label carbamazepine uses can include the treatment of dementia, alcohol withdrawal, and hiccups.

 

What Is Carbamazepine Used For? -- An Overview

Carbamazepine (Carbatrol®, Epitol®, Equetro®, Tegretol®) is a prescription medication used to treat the following conditions:
 
  • Bipolar disorder -- carbamazepine is approved to treat manic or mixed episodes (which include characteristics of both mania and depression) associated with bipolar disorder, also known as manic depression.
     
  • Epilepsy -- carbamazepine is approved to treat various types of seizures, though it is usually not effective at treating absence seizures (petit mal seizures).
     
  • Trigeminal neuralgia -- carbamazepine is approved to treat pain associated with trigeminal neuralgia (also known as tic douloureux), a nerve condition that causes episodes of facial pain (typically cheek or jaw pain).
     
Not all forms of carbamazepine are approved for each of the above uses. Equetro is approved to treat bipolar disorder only, while Carbatrol, Epitol, Tegretol, and generic carbamazepine are approved to treat epilepsy and trigeminal neuralgia (but not bipolar disorder).
 
(Carbamazepine Uses Continued: Page 2)
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Written by/reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD; Arthur Schoenstadt, MD
Last reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD;