Nonpharmacologic Therapies for Neuropathic Pain in Older Adults

Neuropathic pain is considered one of the most difficult forms of chronic pain to manage. Medications are usually the first line therapies for neuropathic pain, most notably anticonvulsants and serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs) and, to a lesser extent, opioids.

Many common neuropathic pain conditions are associated with disorders such as diabetes, postherpetic neuralgia, and stroke which all are more likely to occur in older adults. In treating neuropathic pain in older adults, practitioners often run into the challenge of balancing the potential for relief with potential adverse events associated with the medications used for neuropathic pain, comorbid conditions, and potential drug-drug interactions with current medications.

Authors of a recent literature review published in the January issue of Pain Medicine sought to determine whether there is evidence for the use of nonpharmacologic therapies for neuropathic pain in adults aged ≥65 years that might help avoid these issues. In the slides below, find key results and conclusions for clinicians.