Mechanistic types of pain
| Pain type | Defining characteristics | Examples | Treatment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nociceptive | Pain due to tissue injury, inflammation, damage, or degeneration | Osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, fracture, burns | Topical analgesics, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, acetaminophen, opioids, steroids |
| Neuropathic | Pain due to nerve injury or damage | Radiculopathy, diabetic neuropathy, chemotherapy-induced neuropathy | Topical or local therapy; systemic neuropathic medications such as gabapentin, pregabalin, and tricyclic antidepressants |
| Nociplastic | Pain arising from a sensitized nervous system (amplified processing of pain signals, decreased inhibition of pain, or both) | Fibromyalgia, chronic back pain, chronic temporomandibular pain disorders | Multimodal management approach |
Based on information from reference 6.