Pain Treatment Guidelines

The following guidelines are organized by year of publication (descending order) within logical clinical categories. The 'sunset' period is 5-years; see Outdated Guidelines section toward the bottom of this page for older guidelines of importance.

NOTE: All URL links were active as of the dates accessed. However, the Internet is constantly changing and some linked resources may move or become inactive with time. To notify us of invalid links, send e-mail to: Info@Pain-Topics.org.

= entry added or changed during latest update.

Current Pain Treatment Guidelines

See all details listings <click here> or select from quick-reference items below...

• General Pain & Safety Topics
• Acute Pain
• Cancer Pain
• Cardiac & Chest Pain
• Chronic & Intractable Pain
• Geriatric Pain
• Gynecological or Obstetrical Pain
• Headache
• Musculoskeletal Pain (including Arthritis and Fibromyalgia)
• Neuropathic Pain
• Non-Opioid & Complementary Therapies  ...also see documents in Non-Opioid Therapies tab section
• Opioid Therapy & Safety ...also see documents in Opioid Rx tab section
• Pain in Palliative Care
• Pediatric Pain
• Perioperative Pain

See Outdated Guidelines of Importance <Click Here>

General Pain & Safety Topics

ACR Criteria for Diagnostic Imaging in Pain Conditions

From: American College of Radiology; 2005-2007. See details…>

Use of Nonsteroidal Antiinflammatory Drugs. An Update for Clinicians. A Scientific Statement From the American Heart Association

From: American Heart Association; 2007. See details…>

Guidelines on Pain Management

From: European Association of Urology; 2003. See details...>

Clinical Practice Guidelines for the Sustained Use of Sedatives and Analgesics in the Critically Ill Adult

From: American College of Critical Care Medicine, Society of Critical Care Medicine, American Society of Health-System Pharmacists, American College of Chest Physicians; 2002. See details...>

Nursing Best Practice Guideline: Assessment and Management of Pain

From: Registered Nurses Association of Ontario; 2002. See details...>

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Acute Pain

Assessment and Management of Acute Pain

From: Institute for Clinical Systems Improvement (ICSI); 2008. See details...>

APS 2005 Recommendations for Improving the Quality of Acute and Cancer Pain Management

From: American Pain Society; 2005. See details...>

Principles of Analgesic Use in the Treatment of Acute Pain and Cancer Pain, 5th Edition

From: American Pain Society; 2003. See details...>

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Cancer Pain

Adult Cancer Pain

From: National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN); 2007. See details...>

Guideline for the Management of Cancer Pain in Adults and Children

From: American Pain Society; 2005. See details...>

Intrathecal Drug Delivery for the Management of Cancer Pain: A Multidisciplinary Consensus of Best Clinical Practices

From: Multidisciplinary Workshop, Valley Cancer Pain Foundation; 2005. See details...>

Cancer Pain

From: University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center; 2003. See details...>

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Cardiac & Chest Pain

Management of Cocaine-Associated Chest Pain and Myocardial Infarction. A Scientific Statement from the American Heart Association Acute Cardiac Care Committee of the Council on Clinical Cardiology

From: American Heart Association (AHA); 2008. See details...>

Diagnosis and Treatment of Chest Pain and Acute Coronary Syndrome

From: Institute for Clinical Systems Improvement (ICSI); 2006. See details...>

Pain Management in Blunt Thoracic Trauma: An Evidence-Based Outcome Evaluation

From: Eastern Association for the Surgery of Trauma; 2003. See details...>

ACC/AHA 2002 Guideline Update for the Management of Patients With Chronic Stable Angina

From: American College of Cardiology, American Heart Association; 2002. See details...>

ACC/AHA 2002 Guideline Update for the Management of Patients With Unstable Angina and Non ST-Segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction

From: American College of Cardiology, American Heart Association; 2002. See details...>

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Chronic & Intractable Pain

Assessment and Management of Chronic Pain

From: Institute for Clinical Systems Improvement (ICSI); 2007. See details...>

Complex Regional Pain Syndrome: Treatment Guidelines

From: Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy Syndrome Association; 2006. See details...>

Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy/Complex Regional Pain Syndrome Clinical Practice Guidelines, 3rd Edition

From: International Research Foundation for RSD/CRPS; 2003. See details...>

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Geriatric Pain

Clinical Practice Guideline: Pain Management in the Long Term Care Setting

From: American Medical Directors Association; 2003. See details...>

The AGS Guideline on the Management of Persistent Pain in Older Persons

From: American Geriatrics Society; 2002. See details...>

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Gynecological or Obstetrical Pain

European Guidelines for the Diagnosis and Treatment of Pelvic Girdle Pain

From: Working Group 4 of the European Commission Research Directorate General; 2008. See details...>

Practice Guidelines for Obstetric Anesthesia. An Updated Report by the American Society of Anesthesiologists Task Force on Obstetric Anesthesia.

From: American Society Of Anesthesiologists; 2006. See details...>

Consensus Guidelines for the Management of Chronic Pelvic Pain - Part One and Part Two

From: Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada; 2005. See details...>

The Initial Management of Chronic Pelvic Pain

From: Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists; 2005. See details...>

Cyclic Perimenstrual Pain and Discomfort: Nursing Management. Evidence-Based Clinical Practice Guideline

From: Association of Women’s Health, Obstetric and Neonatal Nurses (AWHONN); 2003. See details...>

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Headache

Diagnosis and Treatment of Headache

From: Institute for Clinical Systems Improvement (ICSI); 2007 See details...>

EFNS Guideline on the Drug Treatment of Migraine – Report of an EFNS Task Force

From: European Federation of Neurological Societies; 2006. See details...>

EFNS Guidelines on the Treatment of Cluster Headache and Other Trigeminal-Autonomic Cephalalgias

From: European Federation of Neurological Societies; 2006. See details...>

The International Classification of Headache Disorders, Second Edition

From: International Headache Society (HIS); 2004. See details...>

Treatment of Primary Headache: Acute Migraine Treatment. Standards of Care for Headache Diagnosis and Treatment

From: National Headache Foundation (NHF); 2004. See details...>

Treatment of Primary Headache: Chronic Daily Headache. Standards of Care for Headache Diagnosis and Treatment

From: National Headache Foundation (NHF); 2004. See details...>

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Musculoskeletal Pain (including Arthritis and Fibromyalgia)

American College of Rheumatology 2008 Recommendations for the Use of Nonbiologic and Biologic Disease-Modifying Antirheumatic Drugs in Rheumatoid Arthritis

From: American College of Rheumatology; 2008. See details...>

OARSI Recommendations for the Management of Hip and Knee Osteoarthritis, Part II: OARSI Evidence-Based, Expert Consensus Guidelines

From: Osteoarthritis Research Society International (OARSI); 2008. See details...>

Diagnosis and Treatment of Low Back Pain: A Joint Clinical Practice Guideline from the American College of Physicians and the American Pain Society

From: American College of Physicians (ACP), American Pain Society (APS); 2007. See details...>

Nonpharmacologic Therapies for Acute and Chronic Low Back Pain: A Review of the Evidence for an American Pain Society/American College of Physicians Clinical Practice Guideline

From: American Pain Society (APS), American College of Physicians (ACP); 2007. See details...>

EULAR recommendations for the management of early arthritis: report of a task force of the European Standing Committee for International Clinical Studies Including Therapeutics (ESCISIT)

From: European League Against Rheumatism; 2007. See details...>

Interventional Techniques: Evidence-Based Practice Guidelines in the Management of Chronic Spinal Pain

From: American Society of Interventional Pain Physicians (ASIPP); 2007. See details...>

Adult Low Back Pain

From: Institute for Clinical Systems Improvement (ICSI); 2006. See details...>

British Society for Rheumatology and British Health Professionals in Rheumatology Guideline for the Management of Rheumatoid Arthritis (the first two years)

From: British Society for Rheumatology, British Health Professionals in Rheumatology; 2006. See details...>

EULAR Evidence Based Recommendations for Gout. Part I: Diagnosis. Report of a Task Force of the EULAR Standing Committee for International Clinical Studies Including Therapeutics (ESCISIT)

From: European League Against Rheumatism; 2006. See details...>

EULAR Evidence Based Recommendations for Gout. Part II: Management. Report of a Task Force of the EULAR Standing Committee for International Clinical Studies Including Therapeutics (ESCISIT)

From: European League Against Rheumatism; 2006. See details...>

Guidelines for the Use of Antidepressants in Painful Rheumatic Conditions

From: CEDR, French Society of Rheumatology, 2006. See details…>

Guideline for the Management of Fibromyalgia Syndrome Pain in Adults and Children

From: American Pain Society; 2005. See details...>

Knee Pain or Swelling: Acute or Chronic

From: University of Michigan Health System; 2005. See details...>

Evidence-Based Management of Acute Musculoskeletal Pain

From: Australian Acute Musculoskeletal Pain Guidelines Group; 2003. See details...>

Guideline for the Management of Pain in Osteoarthritis, Rheumatoid Arthritis, and Juvenile Chronic Arthritis, 2nd Edition

From: American Pain Society; 2002. See details...>

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Neuropathic Pain

Pharmacologic Management of Neuropathic Pain: Evidence-Based Recommendations

From: International Association for the Study of Pain; 2007. See details...>

EFNS Guidelines on Neurostimulation Therapy for Neuropathic Pain

From: European Federation of Neurological Societies; 2007. See details...>

Consensus Guidelines: Treatment Planning and Options. Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathic Pain

From: American Society of Pain Educators and the Johns Hopkins Univ. School of Medicine; 2006. See details…>

EFNS Guidelines on Pharmacological Treatment of Neuropathic Pain

From: European Federation of Neurological Societies; 2006. See details...>

EFNS Guidelines on Neuropathic Pain Assessment

From: European Federation of Neurological Societies; 2004. See details...>

Practice Parameter: Treatment of Postherpetic Neuralgia. An Evidence-Based Report of the Quality Standards Subcommittee of the American Academy of Neurology

From: American Academy of Neurology; 2004. See details...>

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Non-Opioid & Complementary Therapies   ...also see Non-Opioid Therapies section

Antiepileptic Drugs Guideline for Chronic Pain

From: Washington State Department of Labor and Industries; 2005. See details…>

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Opioid Therapy & Safety  ...also see documents in Opioid Rx tab section

Opioids in the Management of Chronic Non-Cancer Pain: an Update of American Society of the Interventional Pain Physicians’ (ASIPP) Guidelines

From: American Society of Interventional Pain Physicians; 2008. See details...>

Guidelines for the Use of Methadone in Office-Based Management of Chronic Non-Cancer Pain and A Review of the Use of Methadone for Treatment of Chronic Non-Cancer Pain

From: College of Physicians & Surgeons of Nova Scotia; 2006. See details...>

Methadone for Pain Guidelines

From: College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario; 2004. See details...>

VA/DoD Clinical Practice Guideline for the Management of Opioid Therapy for Chronic Pain

From: Department of Veterans Affairs, Department of Defense; 2003. See details...>

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Pain in Palliative Care

Consensus Guideline on Parenteral Methadone Use in Pain and Palliative Care

From: Joint Consensus Guideline from Experts in 8 Palliative Care Facilities; 2008. See details...>

Evidence-Based Interventions to Improve the Palliative Care of Pain, Dyspnea, and Depression at the End of Life: A Clinical Practice Guideline from the American College of Physicians

From: American College of Physicians; 2008. See details...>

Clinical Practice Guidelines for Quality Palliative Care

From: National Consensus Project for Quality Palliative Care; 2004. See details...>

Procedure Guideline for Palliative Treatment of Painful Bone Metastases

From: Society of Nuclear Medicine; 2003. See details...>

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Pediatric Pain

Consensus Guidelines for Sustained Neuromuscular Blockade in Critically Ill Children

From: United Kingdom Paediatric Intensive Care Society Sedation, Analgesia and Neuromuscular Blockade Working Group; 2007. See details...>

Pediatric Cancer Pain

From: National Comprehensive Cancer Network; 2007. See details...>

Guideline Statement. Management of Procedure-Related Pain in Children and Adolescents

From: Royal Australasian College of Physicians; 2006. See details…>

Guideline Statement. Management of Procedure-Related Pain in Neonates

From: Royal Australasian College of Physicians; 2006. See details…>

Practice Parameter: Evaluation of Children and Adolescents With Recurrent Headaches

From: American Academy of Neurology, Child Neurology Society; 2005. See details...>

Clinical Report: Relief of Pain and Anxiety in Pediatric Patients in Emergency Medical Systems

From: American Academy of Pediatrics; 2004. See details...>

Practice Parameter: Pharmacological Treatment of Migraine Headache in Children and Adolescents

From: American Academy of Neurology, Child Neurology Society; 2004. See details...>

Special Treatment Situations: Pediatric Migraine. Standards of Care for Headache Diagnosis and Treatment

From: National Headache Foundation; 2004.  See details...>

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Perioperative Pain

ASPAN Pain and Clinical Comfort Guideline

From: American Society of PeriAnesthesia Nurses; 2003.
See details...>

Practice Guidelines for Acute Pain Management in the Perioperative Setting: An Updated Report by the American Society of Anesthesiologists Task Force on Acute Pain Management

From: American Society of Anesthesiologists; 2003. See details...>

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Outdated Guidelines of Importance

These guidelines were published over 6 years ago but are retained here because they are considered of importance and more current guidelines on the topics are unavailable at present. They are arranged by date in descending chronological order.

See all details listings <click here> or select from items below...

Opioid Guidelines in the Management of Chronic Non-Cancer Pain

From: American Society of Interventional Pain Physicians; 2006. See details...>

Guidelines for the Management of Rheumatoid Arthritis

From: American College of Rheumatology; 2002. See details...>

ASIPP Practice Guidelines: Interventional Techniques in the Management of Chronic Pain: Part 2.0

From American Society of Interventional Pain Physicians; 2001. See details...>

Exercise Prescription for Older Adults With Osteoarthritis Pain: Consensus Practice Recommendations

From: American Geriatrics Society; 2001. See details...>

Philadelphia Panel Evidence-Based Clinical Practice Guidelines on Selected Rehabilitation Interventions for Knee Pain

From: Philadelphia Panel; 2001. See details…>

Guideline for the Management of Acute and Chronic Pain in Sickle-Cell Disease

From: American Pain Society; 2000. See details...>

Practice Guidelines: Interventional Techniques in the Management of Chronic Pain: Part 1.0

From American Society of Interventional Pain Physicians; 2000. See details...>

Practice Parameter: Evidence-Based Guidelines for Migraine Headache

From: American Academy of Neurology; 2000. See details...>

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