- Last edited on January 19, 2021
Pain Medicine
Primer
Pain Medicine is a branch of medicine employing an interdisciplinary approach for easing the suffering and improving the quality of life of those living with chronic pain.
Mechanisms of Pain
Noradrenaline reuptake inhibition enhances analgesic effects, mainly through α2-adrenergic receptors in the dorsal horn of the spinal cord.[1] This is one of the main reasons for the efficacy of TCAs and SNRIs (e.g. - duloxetine) over SSRIs for neuropathic pain.[2]
Approach to Pain
Step-wise Treatment
If pain is identified, a stepwise approach to treating pain is recommended, starting with:
- Acetaminophen
- Extended release morphine
- Buprenorphine transdermal patch
- Pregabalin[3]
Resources
Providers
Articles
References
1)
Obata H. (2017). Analgesic Mechanisms of Antidepressants for Neuropathic Pain. International journal of molecular sciences, 18(11), 2483.