Title: Nonpharmacological Interventions Compared to Pharmacological Interventions in Managing Chronic Pain within Patients of Long-term Care Facilities
Authors: Colten Taitt and Dr. Bruce Lazar, MBA, DM
Volume: 9
Issue: 8
Pages: 42-50
Publication Date: 2025/08/28
Abstract:
Long-term care residents frequently experience chronic pain, significantly impairing their quality of life and functional independence. While pharmacological treatments are common, they present substantial challenges such as polypharmacy risks and adverse drug reactions. Consequently, there is a growing imperative to explore alternative and supplementary nonpharmacological methods for effective pain management. This systematic literature review aimed to investigate the effects of pharmacological interventions compared to nonpharmacological interventions in residents of long-term care facilities experiencing chronic pain, focusing on pain intensity, functional capacity, quality of life, and the occurrence of adverse events. A comprehensive search was conducted across MEDLINE and CINAHL academic databases following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines. From an initial pool of 76 articles, 17 peer-reviewed articles published between 2021 and 2025 were rigorously selected and analyzed. Six key themes emerged from the literature: the use of nonpharmacological interventions to treat chronic pain (65% of articles), the use of pharmacological interventions to treat chronic pain (53%), the impact on quality of life with chronic pain (35%), the role of social interaction as a coping mechanism for chronic pain (35%), the impact of interventions on residents' functional capacity (24%), and the occurrence of adverse events associated with pharmacological interventions (24%). The findings suggest that nonpharmacological interventions play a significant role in pain management, often complementing or serving as alternatives to pharmacological approaches, which carry notable risks. These results suggest the need for healthcare administrators to implement holistic, patient-focused pain management strategies that integrate both pharmacological and nonpharmacological methods to enhance residents' quality of life and functional capacity while minimizing adverse events.