Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Review
. 2023 Apr;23(4):447-458.
doi: 10.1111/papr.13203. Epub 2023 Jan 11.

Are psychedelics the answer to chronic pain: A review of current literature

Nina I Kooijman  1 , Tim Willegers  1 , Anke Reuser  1 , Wim M Mulleners  2 , Cornelis Kramers  3 , Kris C P Vissers  1 , Selina E I van der Wal  1
Affiliations
Review

Are psychedelics the answer to chronic pain: A review of current literature

Nina I Kooijman et al. Pain Pract. 2023 Apr.

Abstract

Aims: We aim to provide an evidence-based overview of the use of psychedelics in chronic pain, specifically LSD and psilocybin.

Content: Chronic pain is a common and complex problem, with an unknown etiology. Psychedelics like lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) and psilocybin, may play a role in the management of chronic pain. Through activation of the serotonin-2A (5-HT2A) receptor, several neurophysiological responses result in the disruption of functional connections in brain regions associated with chronic pain. Healthy reconnections can be made through neuroplastic effects, resulting in sustained pain relief. However, this process is not fully understood, and evidence of efficacy is limited and of low quality. In cancer and palliative related pain, the analgesic potential of psychedelics was established decades ago, and the current literature shows promising results on efficacy and safety in patients with cancer-related psychological distress. In other areas, patients suffering from severe headache disorders like migraine and cluster headache who have self-medicated with psychedelics report both acute and prophylactic efficacy of LSD and psilocybin. Randomized control trials are now being conducted to study the effects in cluster headache Furthermore, psychedelics have a generally favorable safety profile especially when compared to other analgesics like opioids. In addition, psychedelics do not have the addictive potential of opioids.

Implications: Given the current epidemic use of opioids, and that patients are in desperate need of an alternative treatment, it is important that further research is conducted on the efficacy of psychedelics in chronic pain conditions.

Keywords: LSD; chronic pain; psilocybin; psychedelics.

PubMed Disclaimer

Comment in

  • Psychedelics for treating chronic pain.
    Abd-Elsayed A, Gilligan C. Abd-Elsayed A, et al. Pain Pract. 2023 Sep;23(7):860. doi: 10.1111/papr.13243. Epub 2023 May 15. Pain Pract. 2023. PMID: 37256513 No abstract available.

References

REFERENCES

    1. Mills SEE, Nicolson KP, Smith BH. Chronic pain: a review of its epidemiology and associated factors in population-based studies. Br J Anaesth. 2019;123(2):e273-83.
    1. Gangadharan V, Kuner R. Pain hypersensitivity mechanisms at a glance. Dis Model Mech. 2013;6(4):889-95.
    1. Bushnell MC, Čeko M, Low LA. Cognitive and emotional control of pain and its disruption in chronic pain. Nat Rev Neurosci. 2013;14(7):502-11.
    1. Katz J, Rosenbloom BN, Fashler S. Chronic pain, psychopathology, and DSM-5 somatic symptom disorder. Can J Psychiatry. 2015;60(4):160-7.
    1. Dowell D, Haegerich TM, Chou R. CDC guideline for prescribing opioids for chronic pain-United States, 2016. JAMA. 2016;315(15):1624-45.

MeSH terms

LinkOut - more resources