The place of pharmacological treatment in chronic pain

Pharmacological treatment may be required for the successful management of chronic pain. The use of drugs should be considered alongside other multidisciplinary strategies including active physical rehabilitation, psychological support to assist self-management and, if appropriate, targeted injections. In clinical practice there may be a substantial overlap in drug management options for neuropathic and nociceptive pain. We present an overview of clinical use and associated problems of commonly used pharmacological agents in current practice.