Pain medicine : the official journal of the American Academy of Pain Medicine
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At low doses, naltrexone (LDN) has been shown to modulate inflammation through the interruption of microglial cell activation within the central nervous system. One of the most likely contributors to centralized pain is changes in microglial cell processing. Therefore, it has been postulated that LDN can be used to manage patients with pain resulting from central sensitization due to this relationship. This scoping review aims to synthesize the relevant study data for LDN as a novel treatment strategy for various centralized pain conditions. ⋯ Evidence synthesized for this scoping review supports the ongoing use of LDN for the treatment of refractory pain in various centralized chronic pain conditions. Upon review of the currently available published studies, it is apparent that further high-quality, well-powered randomized control trials need to be conducted to establish efficacy, standardization for dosing, and response times. In summary, LDN continues to offer promising results in the management of pain and other distressing symptoms in patients with chronic centralized pain conditions.
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At low doses, naltrexone (LDN) has been shown to modulate inflammation through the interruption of microglial cell activation within the central nervous system. One of the most likely contributors to centralized pain is changes in microglial cell processing. Therefore, it has been postulated that LDN can be used to manage patients with pain resulting from central sensitization due to this relationship. This scoping review aims to synthesize the relevant study data for LDN as a novel treatment strategy for various centralized pain conditions. ⋯ Evidence synthesized for this scoping review supports the ongoing use of LDN for the treatment of refractory pain in various centralized chronic pain conditions. Upon review of the currently available published studies, it is apparent that further high-quality, well-powered randomized control trials need to be conducted to establish efficacy, standardization for dosing, and response times. In summary, LDN continues to offer promising results in the management of pain and other distressing symptoms in patients with chronic centralized pain conditions.