Pharmacological modulation of central nociception in the management of chronic musculoskeletal pain

SUMMARY Chronic musculoskeletal pain, defined as pain lasting beyond the usual healing time of 6 weeks to 3 months, is a very common condition. It adversely affects the quality of life of patients and has a significant economic impact on our society. There is an ever increasing understanding of the pathophysiology of chronic pain. This has resulted in the effective use of various medications aimed at modulating both central and peripheral sensitizations. There are also new agents being developed based on fundamental research. The pharmacological agents used in the modulation of central nociception in chronic musculoskeletal pain are reviewed in this article.