New Research on Non-Pharmaceutical Interventions for Chronic Pain Relief
Often, the first line of treatment for someone who has chronic pain is pharmaceuticals. Many people are prescribed them to help bring relief, but that doesn’t always work, leaving people wanting something more. Many people wish for pain relief without taking medications. The good news is that numerous non-pharmaceutical interventions have been tested in a new study that shares which ones work and how to make them a practical part of one’s pain management treatment.
The study was published in the February 2025 issue of the journal Cells Reports Medicine (1). In it, researchers looked at a wide variety of non-pharmaceutical interventions for chronic pain relief and classified them into three different levels. Noting that such treatments target behaviors and brain processes underlying the experience of pain, they found the options promising and even said they are critical for chronic pain conditions. They report that the conditions can be used on their own or with other treatment options, including pharmaceutical ones.
Chronic pain can significantly impact one’s quality of life. Despite that, non-pharmaceutical approaches to pain relief are often considered a last resort or merely mentioned to patients as an option. However, research shows that they can significantly impact one’s quality of life as they help to reduce pain experiences.
The researchers classify the interventions into three levels, including:
Level 1 – These focus on physiological changes that occur without the involvement of emotional or cognitive processes. They include physical therapy, massage therapy, exercise, acupuncture, yoga, etc.
Level 2 – These involve addressing the psychological dimension of pain, including cognitive and emotional processes that influence how someone experiences pain. They include mindfulness-based practices, cognitive behavioral therapy, emotional awareness and expression therapy, etc.
Level 3 – These focus on the person dissociating from physical experiences in response to intense pain sensations. They include practices that utilize virtual reality therapies.
They also add that expectations play a role in all three of the levels listed above. Expectations of the treatment are a psychological process that can impact treatment outcomes because they influence how the brain responds to the interventions.
They conclude that these approaches have minimal to no side effects and, when combined, significantly impact chronic pain reduction. Additionally, they advise that using these to help with chronic pain management needs to be done consistently in order to get the benefit. Opting for something from levels one and two to engage in ongoing, for example, is likely to be a good way to help with pain management.
Sources:
Cells Reports Medicine. An update on non-pharmaceutical interventions for pain relief. February 2025. https://www.cell.com/cell-reports-medicine/fulltext/S2666-3791(25)00013-8?_returnURL=https%3A%2F%2Flinkinghub.elsevier.com%2Fretrieve%2Fpii%2FS2666379125000138%3Fshowall%3Dtrue
