Transdermal gel in the treatment of postoperative pain

Postoperative pain can be difficult to control in the outpatient setting. Pain management is often a progressive process, involving adustment of the dosage, strength, and/or ingredients of pain medication to relieve a patient's pain. Counseling should be incorporated into the treatment program. While opioids can be effective in the relief of postoperative pain, their use is associated with debilitating side effects. Oral nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are a popular class of nonopioid analgesics, but they are also associated frequently with adverse effects. Patients, physicians, and pharmacists should be educated in pharmacological alternatives to these analgesics. One option is the transdermal application of medications, which allows the patient to experience relief without unwanted systemic side effects that routinely occur with oral medications.