Hi, Cymbalta is a mediocre antidepressant that also has effects on stress hormones. Increased stress hormone levels at the level of spine and probably brain, block or take attention away from pain. So, everything is the same but the feelings are damped down. It doesn t actually lower pain and generally, it is not enough by itself. This is more likely to work well the more the pain is due to nerves and spine nerve or spinal pain and less if it is due to a non-nervous tissue cause. So, a lumbar disk hitting nerves or spine will lower pain some with Cymbalta but there is enough direct trauma that it won t work completely. On the other hand, a disorder in which the nerves are the whole source of the pain such as shingles or fibromyalgia might be really helped by just the Cymbalta. Hope I have answered your query. Let me know if I can assist you further. Regards, Dr. Matt Wachsman, Addiction Medicine Specialist