Non-Opioid Pain Medication

Chronic pain is fundamentally different from acute pain. There is a higher frequency of neurologically mediated conditions in chronic pain. Additionally when someone has pain for a significant period, the nervous system goes through changes that perpetuate the pain. Certain medications increase the synaptic concentrations of the neurotransmitters serotonin and norepinephrine by reducing their reuptake into nerve cells. This boosts the brain’s control that inhibits the pain transmitting neurons in the spinal cord. Other medications work by binding to ion channels in nerves, inhibiting the generation of impulses that signal pain. Still other medications are like the neurotransmitters that can directly inhibit pain transmission.  Since different classes of medications work via different mechanisms, combination therapy offers the potential for the greatest relief with the fewest side effects. The results of numerous placebo-controlled clinical trials and various clinical practice guidelines support the use of these non-opioid medications as first-line treatments for chronic pain. There are also important secondary benefits to choosing these medications. They not only help treat pain, but also can improve sleep, depression, anxiety, impulsivity and mood lability.