Musculoskeletal pain: modern approaches to diagnosis and therapy

Musculoskeletal pain: modern approaches to diagnosis and therapy

N.A. Suponeva, D.G. Yusupov

Research Center of Neurology, Moscow

Musculoskeletal (non-specific) pain in the lower back is pain caused by damage to the musculoskeletal system elements and is not associated with radiculopathy, lumbar spinal stenosis or specific causes. The article discusses risk factors, clinical characteristics, and modern approaches to the diagnosis and treatment of musculoskeletal pain (MSP). The key point in the patient management with non-specific MSP is to educate and inform the patient about the benign disease nature. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are first-line and the most commonly used drugs for the treatment of non-specific MSP. NSAIDs are mainly used for the treatment of acute pain, and are sometimes effective in exacerbated chronic pain syndrome. When choosing drugs for the MSP complex treatment, it is necessary to take into account the drug therapy safety, especially for elderly patients. Currently, drugs of the ketoprofen-dexketoprofen S(+) enantiomer (used in the form of dexketoprofen trometamol and characterized by efficacy and a more favorable safety profile versus ketoprofen) are presented on the pharmaceutical market. The availability of various presentation forms allows for an individual therapy approach and treatment tactics for a particular patient.

Keywords: musculoskeletal pain, lower back pain, pain syndrome, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, ketoprofen, dexketoprofen trometamol.

For citation: Suponeva N.A., Yusupova D.G. Musculoskeletal pain: modern approaches to diagnosis and therapy. RMJ. 2024;4:46–50.