An overview of treatment approaches for chronic pain management

Abstract

Pain which persists after healing is expected to have taken place, or which exists in the absence of tissue damage, is termed chronic pain. By definition chronic pain cannot be treated and cured in the conventional biomedical sense; rather, the patient who is suffering from the pain must be given the tools with which their long-term pain can be managed to an acceptable level. This article will provide an overview of treatment approaches available for the management of persistent non-malignant pain. As well as attempting to provide relief from the physical aspects of pain through the judicious use of analgesics, interventions, stimulations, and irritations, it is important to pay equal attention to the psychosocial complaints which almost always accompany long-term pain. The pain clinic offers a biopsychosocial approach to treatment with the multidisciplinary pain management programme; encouraging patients to take control of their pain problem and lead a fulfilling life in spite of the pain.

Opioid‐sparing effects of 10 kHz spinal cord stimulation: a review of clinical evidence

“…Because of the ubiquity of chronic pain in our society, safe and effective treatments are needed in order to manage these conditions. There are several interventions available for treating chronic pain, including nerve blocks, surgeries, implantable drug delivery systems, and nerve stimulators; however, the first line of treatment for pain is most often oral analgesics, including acetaminophen, nonsteroidal anti‐inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), and opioids …”

“…There was an increase in opioid prescriptions of 45 million in 2002 compared with 5 years earlier, and almost 62 million Americans filled one or more opioid prescriptions in 2016 . Both weak opioids, such as codeine and dihydrocodeine, and strong opioids, including morphine and related drugs, are now frequently used to control chronic pain once NSAIDs alone are no longer effective . Although conventional opioid analgesics are routinely used to treat chronic, noncancer pain, the evidence that they are effective for this indication are sparse.…”

“…There are several interventions available for treating chronic pain, including nerve blocks, surgeries, implantable drug delivery systems, and nerve stimulators; however, the first line of treatment for pain is most often oral analgesics, including acetaminophen, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), and opioids. 6 Opioid analgesics in chronic pain Prior to the 1980s, pure µ-opioids (conventional opioids) were primarily used to treat acute pain or chronic cancer pain. However, an increased emphasis on pain relief by regulators and payers, changes in prescriber attitudes about the risks and benefits of opioids, and marketing campaigns by manufacturers led to large increases in opioid use in patients doi: 10.1111/nyas.14236 with chronic noncancer pain.…”

The effects of opioids on the endocrine system: an overview

“…These analgesics have been used for centuries to relieve acute pain and chronic pain 2. Common side effects of these drugs include sedation, dizziness, constipation, urinary retention, itchiness, nausea and respiratory depression 3 4.…”

Novel Approaches for Chronic Pain

“…The duration of ongoing pain is not only the diagnostic criteria. Some physicians advise that any pain that persists longer than the expected healing time for the pathological tissues could be considered as chronic pain [2,3]. "Biopsychosocial systems model" is used for management of chronic pain patients [4].…”