Cannabinoids in Pain Management
HISTORY AND CONTROVERSY OF MEDICAL MARIJUANA Print Section Listen Cannabis has been utilized as a medicine and in various cultural practices for millennia with accounts of its use dating back…
Novel Opioid Formulations
INTRODUCTION: WHY NOVEL FORMULATIONS? Print Section Listen The medical profession recognizes the clinical value of prescribed opioids in treating noncancer pain that is persistent and recalcitrant to other therapies.1 However,…
Opioid Pharmacotherapy
INTRODUCTION Print Section Listen “Among the remedies which it has pleased almighty God to give to man to relieve his sufferings, none is so universal and efficacious as opium.”—Sir Thomas…
NMDA Receptor Antagonism in Pain Therapy
NMDA RECEPTOR STRUCTURE AND FUNCTION Print Section Listen The synapse between the primary afferent and secondary afferent neurons in the dorsal horn of the spinal cord is a critical site…
Muscle Relaxants and α2 Agonists for Pain Management
INTRODUCTION Print Section Listen Skeletal muscle relaxants are frequently used in patients with both acute and chronic pain when a component of muscle spasm is thought to be contributing to…
Antiepileptics for Pain
INTRODUCTION Print Section Listen Antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) have been used in the treatment of chronic pain syndromes for more than 50 years.1–4 Phenytoin, in particular, has been extensively used for…
Nonsteroidal Anti-inflammatory Drugs
NONSTEROIDAL ANTI-INFLAMMATORY DRUGS Print Section Listen Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are anti-inflammatory, analgesic, and antipyretic agents. They are used to reduce pain, decrease stiffness, and improve function in patients with…
Psychotropic Medications
INTRODUCTION Print Section Listen Chronic pain is frequently comorbid with both anxiety and mood disorders. Although many pain medicine practitioners may not manage psychiatric conditions, it is increasingly important to…
Urine Drug Testing
INTRODUCTION Print Section Listen Urine drug testing (UDT) is considered one of the mainstays of adherence monitoring in conjunction with prescription monitoring programs and other screening tools; however, UDT is…
