Antidepressants for Chronic Pain: Do They Work?

Rubin, Michael MD

Professor of Clinical Neurology, Weill Cornell Medical College

Internal Medicine Alert 45(16):p 123-124, August 30, 2023.

SYNOPSIS: Antidepressant medications have been widely used for treating a variety of chronic pain disorders, but strong evidence to support their efficacy is lacking. Some patients may respond, but available data do not help us determine which agents may be helpful in a specific type of chronic pain condition.

SOURCE: Ferreira GE, Abdel-Shaheed C, Underwood M, et al. Efficacy, safety, and tolerability of antidepressants for pain in adults: Overview of systematic reviews. BMJ 2023;380:e072415.