Pain management is essential because, even when the underlying disease process is stable, uncontrolled pain prevents patients from working productively, enjoying recreation, or taking pleasure in their usual roles in the family and society.
Chronic pain may have many contributing factors, and therefore can be much more difficult to manage than acute pain, requiring customized treatment protocols to meet the specific needs of each patient.
Pain is the most frequent reason people seek medical attention. It is one of the most common symptoms of disease and can significantly interfere with a person’s quality of life.
It includes a nociceptive (sensory) component, caused by stimulation of nerve fibers and an affective (emotional) component. Pain is usually transitory, but some painful conditions may persist for years. Sometimes pain arises in the absence of any detectable stimulus, damage, or disease.
The pain therapy depends on the type of pain. The benefit of treating different pain pathways helps to treat pain where it hurts and to target and treat pain from all different mechanisms of action. In addition, it allows for more consistent and reliable pain relief, reduces drug dosages, reduces side effects, and allows for more options to meet each patient’s specific treatment needs.
Optimal treatment may involve the use of medications that possess pain-relieving properties, including some antidepressants, anticonvulsants, antiarrhythmics, anesthetics, antiviral agents, and NMDA antagonists. By combining various agents that utilize different mechanisms to alter the sensation of pain, physicians have found that smaller concentrations of each medication can be used.
Transdermal creams and gels can be formulated to provide high, localconcentrations at the site of application (e.g., NSAIDs for joint pain),for trigger-point application (e.g., combinations of medications forneuropathic pain), or in a base that will allow systemic absorption. Studies suggest that there are limited restrictions on the type of drugthat can be incorporated into a properly compounded transdermal gel.When medications are administered transdermally, they are not absorbed through the gastrointestinal system and do not undergo first-pass hepaticmetabolism; therefore, side effects associated with oral administration can often be avoided.
The following is a list of pain conditions for which we commonly compound medications:
We work together with the prescribing physician and the patient to solve problems by customizing medications that meet the specific needs of each individual. Please contact our compounding pharmacist to discuss the appropriate dosage form, strength, and medication.
An Excerpt from The use of low-dose naltrexone (LDN) as a novel anti-inflammatory treatment for chronic pain
by Younger, Partkitny, and Mclain
Eastern States Compounding works closely with you, whether you’re a patient looking for more effective medication, or a provider looking for the best solutions for your patients.
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Monday-Thursday
8:30AM – 5:00PM
Friday 8:30AM – 3:00PM EST
Closed 12:30 – 1:00PM for Lunch
