The Clinical Implications of Transdermal Baclofen in the Management of Mild-Moderate Neuropathic Pain

The pharmacotherapeutic management of chronic pain is a particular challenge for healthcare providers, as patients often require multimodal analgesia and polypharmacy in order to achieve symptomatic relief. Patient adherence, frequent dose titration, patient comorbidities, and individual characteristics can further complicate treatment and limit treatment options at the outpatient level. The therapeutic potential of localized analgesia in the treatment of chronic pain is of particular interest to healthcare providers nationwide, as it provides a necessary alternative to systemic analgesia. Compounding Pharmacies and FDA Outsourcing Facilities aid in this endeavor through endogenous compounding and manufacturing (respectively) of externally-applied pain formulations. This review summarizes the available clinical evidence supporting transdermal baclofen utilization in the symptomatic management of chronic musculoskeletal and/or neuropathic pain. The adjunctive treatment of pain from a localized perspective remains under-investigated, and the role of transdermal analgesics/antispasmodics in chronic pain management remains uncertain.