Current Pain and Headache Reports
April 21, 2026
Navy C Coggins, Hanson A Chokr, Tricia A Meyer et al.
PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Ketamine was originally developed as a dissociative anesthetic and has remained a valuable agent in anesthesia related to its ability to preserve airway reflexes and relative hemodynamic stability. Over time, its clinical applications have expanded beyond procedural sedation to include roles in pain management and psychiatry. In pain medicine, the therapeutic rationale is...
Current Pain and Headache Reports
December 15, 2025
Alan D. Kaye, Madison C Wolf, Sarah I Dufour et al.
2 citations
Chronic pain and opioid use disorder (OUD) are highly prevalent and frequently co-occurring conditions that pose complex treatment challenges. While opioids are effective for pain management, prolonged use significantly enhances risk of developing substance dependence. Conversely, addiction-focused therapies often fail to relieve persistent somatic pain. Ketamine, an N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA)...
Current Pain and Headache Reports
September 16, 2025
Toby Dresdner, Elizabeth K. Seng
This goal of this paper is to identify the need to report adverse events (AEs) in mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) for migraine and highlight conceptual issues related to their reporting. This paper reviews the benefits and AEs in MBIs broadly and considers their application to a migraine population. Due to a lack of standardized protocol for measuring and reporting, there is little...
Current Pain and Headache Reports
June 19, 2025
Elika D Javaheri, Christopher Wie, Stephen Covington et al.
3 citations
As higher doses of ketamine are being used in numerous medical conditions such as Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS), it is critical to examine common adverse effects (AEs) explicitly associated with high doses of ketamine (HDK). HDK is often associated with psychiatric symptoms such as agitation, anxiety, and sleep disturbances. Psychiatric effects have been documented in various methods of...
Current Pain and Headache Reports
April 30, 2025
Neveen A Kohaf, Tabia Imtiyaz Khan, Hamada Hamdy Elbana et al.
1 citation
Nebulized ketamine, an innovative route of drug delivery, has gained interest for its potential effectiveness in challenging clinical scenarios. The objective of this systematic review is to provide insights into the safety and effectiveness of nebulized ketamine in pain management. A systematic search was performed on online databases including WOS, Cochrane, Scopus, and PubMed, using a...
Current Pain and Headache Reports
January 16, 2025
Isabella Henderson, Ronnie Elsaadany, Gabriel Chan et al.
4 citations
Exploration of the potential of serotonergic psychedelic drugs, such as psilocybin and LSD, as potential treatments for headache disorders. This review addresses the need for well-informed physician guidelines and discusses mechanisms, safety, and efficacy of these treatments. Further research, including the consideration of combination with psychotherapy, is needed. Psychedelics demonstrate...
Current Pain and Headache Reports
January 14, 2025
Alan D. Kaye, Brynne E Tynes, Coplen D Johnson et al.
6 citations
Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS) is a neuropathic pain disorder characterized by pain disproportionate to the inciting event that is constant for an extended duration. Numerous treatment options for this condition have been explored with unsatisfactory results in many cases. Ketamine, an N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor antagonist typically used as an anesthetic and analgesic, presents...
Current Pain and Headache Reports
January 7, 2025
Natalie H Strand, Madeline Whitney, Brooks Johnson et al.
9 citations
Chronic pain affects approximately 1.5 billion people worldwide, representing the leading cause of disability and a significant financial burden on healthcare systems. Conventional treatments, such as opioids and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, are frequently linked to adverse effects, including dependency and gastrointestinal issues, and often offer limited long-term relief. This review...
Current Pain and Headache Reports
November 1, 2024
Deng Biao, Kuyikabasi Umoh, Cao Qiguang et al.
2 citations
Mindfulness therapy is a widely used treatment for many diseases and has been shown to improve pain-related functions. There is growing support for the use of psychotherapy in the treatment of chronic pain. While studies have shown a positive effect of mindfulness therapy, it is important to consider psychosocial factors as there are still a small number of studies that question its...
Current Pain and Headache Reports
September 1, 2023
Emmanuelle A. D. Schindler
7 citations
This review presents the existing literature of and a framework for how psychedelic drugs might be applied as therapeutic agents in episodic migraine. The therapeutic effects of psychedelics in headache disorders have been reported for decades and controlled investigations are now beginning. In the first and only clinical trial of a psychedelic drug in migraine, the single administration of...
Current Pain and Headache Reports
June 27, 2022
Sakari Santeri Rusanen, Suchetana De, Emmanuelle A. D. Schindler et al.
12 citations
Abstract Purpose of Review The use and efficacy of various substances in the treatment of CH have been studied in several retrospective surveys. The aim of the study is to systematically review published survey studies to evaluate the reported efficacies of both established and unconventional substances in abortive and prophylactic treatment of both episodic and chronic CH, specifically...
Current Pain and Headache Reports
August 17, 2020
Alex Jinich-Diamant, Eric L Garland, Jennifer Baumgartner et al.
This review examines recent (2016 onwards) neuroscientific findings on the mechanisms supporting mindfulness-associated pain relief. To date, its clear that mindfulness lowers pain by engaging brain processes that are distinct from placebo and vary across meditative training level. Due to rapid developments in the field of contemplative neuroscience, an update review on the neuroimaging studies...