Abstract
We report a case in which the use of oxycodone significantly improved pain in a patient with spinal cord injury pain syndrome.
Most neuropathic pain, initiated by cellular depolarization through ion channels, poses a challenge in management. Opioids are generally considered to have limited efficacy in treating neuropathic pain and are classified as a third-line option in neuropathic pain pharmacotherapy guidelines. However, in this case, the additional administration of oxycodone resulted in a significant improvement of symptoms.
Recent studies on oxycodone suggest that, in addition to its well-known analgesic effects via intracellular signaling pathways, it hyperpolarizes neuronal cells in the central nervous system via G protein-activated inwardly rectifying potassium channels in the cell membrane, and to produce analgesic effects on neuropathic pain, as supported by our own case. The results of our own studies support this.
Opioids often require careful consideration and involve complexities in prescription. However, oxycodone, known for its relatively high efficacy, should be regarded as one of the options for treating neuropathic pain. This case underscores the potential utility of oxycodone in addressing neuropathic pain, challenging the notion that opioids are uniformly less effective in such conditions.
