Chronic Pain in Patients With HIV Infection: What Clinicians Need To Know

Chronic pain is common in individuals with HIV infection. The primary goal of treatment of chronic pain is not only to improve pain but also to improve physical and emotional function. Patients with chronic pain should be assessed for concurrent psychiatric and substance use disorders, as these conditions often coexist. Treatment of chronic pain may have limited success in the absence of treatment of psychiatric disorders. Treatments for chronic pain include nonopioid pharmacologic therapies and nonpharmacologic therapies (eg, cognitive and behavioral therapy, physical therapy), and the latter option is often the most effective for improving patient function. Care must be taken when initiating or continuing treatment with opioids, and the risks and benefits of treatment with opioids should be regularly assessed. This article summarizes a presentation by Jessica S. Merlin, MD, MBA, at the IAS-USA continuing education program held in New York, New York, in March 2015.