Other Pharmacological Agents

This chapter reviews several other agents that have not been covered in previous chapters. The conventional non-steroidal anti-inflammatory agents (NSAIDs) and acetaminophen are widely available and helpful for mild to moderate pain. When pain is at more severe levels these agents are often inadequate on their own for treatment of chronic pain. Muscle relaxants have been investigated and are primarily indicated for acute rather than chronic use in the management of musculoskeletal pain. There are a growing number of controlled trials examining cannabinoid agonists in the treatment of pain. Based on current evidence supporting that cannabinoids are analgesic and safe, it is reasonable to use a cannabinoid as a second or third line agent either as a single agent or in combination with other agents exhibiting a different mechanism of action.