Which medication is used to treat both depression and pain (off-label)?

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Some antidepressants can also help control pain by boosting the body’s pain-modulating pathways. Amitriptyline is a tricyclic antidepressant that blocks the reuptake of serotonin and norepinephrine, increasing these signaling chemicals in the nervous system. This not only improves mood but also enhances the body’s ability to dampen pain signals, which is why it’s commonly used at lower doses to treat chronic neuropathic pain, migraines, and other pain conditions even when the primary issue isn’t depression—this is off-label use. The other listed medications don’t target mood or pain in this way: acyclovir is an antiviral, azithromycin is an antibiotic, and azelaic acid is used for skin conditions like acne.