J Korean Med Assoc.  2011 Jul;54(7):739-746.

Analgesic therapy according to disease specific pathophysiology

• Yoon DM

Abstract

This article reviews the pharmacologic management of osteoarthritis, low back pain, and neuropathic pain. In order to manage chronic pain appropriately, pharmacologic management, such as adequate drug selection, is the most important in clinical situations. Pain is classified as nociceptive, neuropathic, or mixed pain according to its mechanism. For effective pain control, we choose analgesics depending on adequate evaluation and understanding of the pathophysiology of pain. Nociceptive pain like osteoarthritis is controlled by acetaminophen, nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs, and opioids according to the pain intensity. However, our recommendation for neuropathic pain is antidepressants and anticonvulsants as first line treatments. Low back pain arises from nociceptive and neuropathic mechanisms, classified as mixed pain syndrome. Therefore, the rational management of low back pain targets the different mechanisms of pain by combining agents with different mechanisms of action.

Keyword

Pain perception; Neuralgia; Drug therapy

MeSH Terms

Acetaminophen
Analgesics
Analgesics, Opioid
Anticonvulsants
Antidepressive Agents
Chronic Pain
Low Back Pain
Neuralgia
Nociceptive Pain
Osteoarthritis
Pain Perception
Acetaminophen
Analgesics
Analgesics, Opioid
Anticonvulsants
Antidepressive Agents