Medications

  • Opioid (Fentanyl) Nasal Spray

    by Dimitris Papadopoulos MD Fellow Of Interventional Pain Practice (FIPP)

    GENERAL During the last years since 2008, approximately 2 billion dollars have been invested worldwide on research and production of drugs in the form of a nasal spray. Such drugs are calcitonin for osteoporosis, desmopressin for enuresis and triptanes for migraine. A new pharmaceutical product has circulated in Greece lately. It is administered transnasally to […]

  • Antiepileptics

    by Dimitris Papadopoulos MD Fellow Of Interventional Pain Practice (FIPP)

    Antiepileptics are very effective in the treatment of various neuropathic pain syndromes. Carbamazepine (TEGRETOL) is an antiepileptic drug approved by the American Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to treat pain in trigeminal neuralgia. Gababentin (NEURONTIN) has been approved by FDA for postherpetic neuralgia. Pregabalin (LYRICA) is a newer antiepileptic approved by FDA relieving postherpetic neuralgia, […]

  • Opioids

    by Dimitris Papadopoulos MD Fellow Of Interventional Pain Practice (FIPP)

    GENERAL Opioids are substances similar to morphine that have been used for centuries to provide pain relief. The term “opioid” derives from the word “opium”, obtained from the poppy flower. There are natural, synthetic and semi-synthetic opioids. It has been known since 1975 that the human body endogenously produces its own opioids: enkephalins, endorphins and […]

  • Dermal Capsaicin Patch

    by Dimitris Papadopoulos MD Fellow Of Interventional Pain Practice (FIPP)

    GENERAL The drastic ingredient of the dermal patch is pure trans-capsaicin ( 8% /weight). Capsaicin is the drastic, spicy ingredient of chili peppers belonging to the genus Capsicum. There are two geometric capsaicin isomers, the trans-isomer of which is found in nature. Capsaicin used in the patch is composed chemically and is identically the same […]

  • Antidepressants

    by Dimitris Papadopoulos MD Fellow Of Interventional Pain Practice (FIPP)

    ΑΝΤIDEPRESSANTS GENERAL Antidepressants are one of the very important groups of drugs used in the treatment of chronic pain syndromes. They are drugs administered to treat depression but it is a long time since they have been shown to be also active in the treatment of some chronic pain syndromes. So, patients who take antidepressants […]

  • Sodium Channel Blockers – Oral Antiarrhythmic drugs

    by Dimitris Papadopoulos MD Fellow Of Interventional Pain Practice (FIPP)

    Intravenous lidocaine has strong sodium-channel blocking properties and is effective in the treatment of neuropathic pain, as shown by non-controlled studies. Antiarrhythmic drugs with local anaesthetic properties are sometimes used in the treatment of resistant neuropathic pain. In the  same way they stop the premature cardiac muscle fibre contraction, they also reduce ectopic discharges of […]

  • Non Steroid Anti-inflammatory Drugs & Paracetamol

    by Dimitris Papadopoulos MD Fellow Of Interventional Pain Practice (FIPP)

    GENERAL Non steroid anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID”S), such as aspirin and paracetamol, are the most commonly used drugs for the treatment of chronic pain syndromes. Unlike paracetamol, NSAID”S  and aspirin have anti-inflammatory properties. As opposed to opioids, these drugs present the ceiling phaenomenon. This means that after administering a specific dose for each drug, the additional […]