• A review of studies highlights several non-opioid medications with potential benefits for chronic low back pain (CLBP), myofascial pain syndrome (MPS), and fibromyalgia (FM).
• For CLBP, NSAIDs, antidepressants (duloxetine), and muscle relaxants (carisoprodol, cyclobenzaprine, diazepam) have demonstrated efficacy compared to placebo in some studies.
• Pregabalin and duloxetine have shown superior pain relief compared to placebo for fibromyalgia, while lidocaine patches and BoNT-A injections may benefit myofascial pain syndrome.
• Several studies suggest that combination therapies, such as nortriptyline/gabapentin and morphine/gabapentin, may offer enhanced pain relief and reduced side effects compared to monotherapy.