The experience of pain is subjective, and treatment modalities should aim at providing the greatest amount of pain relief while minimizing adverse effects. Pharmacologic and technological innovations are making this possible. By taking advantage of new manufacturing processes, the pharmaceutical industry is retooling old and effective drugs. SoluMatrix diclofenac uses nanotechnology to address the need for an effective nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drug at the lowest possible dose to minimize risks associated with cardiac, renal, and gastrointestinal side effects. Intravenous acetaminophen provides an additional alternative in multimodal analgesia in instances when the oral or rectal route of delivery is not desirable. Liposomal bupivacaine uses liposomal encapsulated, resulting in a local anesthetic with a prolonged duration of action that can be used effectively in the management of postoperative pain. With the recognition that opioid therapy still remains a mainstay in pain management, advances in science have allowed for the development of peripherally acting mu opioid receptor antagonists such as naloxegol, which minimize the bothersome side effect of opioid-induced constipation. In terms of interventional pain management, advances in radiofrequency ablation (RFA) technology have resulted in cooled RFA, which allows for the creation of larger spherical lesions, thereby alleviating pain by interfering with neurotransmission. Advances in stem cell research have led to the application of multipotent cells with the aim of treating the underlying disease process and thereby eliminating pain. Finally, pharmacogenetics testing and smart drugs provide an avenue via which issues surrounding how medication is consumed, determination of effectiveness, and ensuring compliance and adherence can be optimized.
Key words: Pain, Pharmacology, Medications, Technology, Innovation, Smart Pills, Personalized Medicine, Biotechnology, Device, Surgery, Multimodal