This course looks at medications commonly prescribed for musculoskeletal conditions, including pain medications, anti-inflammatories, and muscle relaxants. It describes the physiology of the medications, as well as common side effects. In addition, it looks at other medications used for musculoskeletal pain, including anti-depressants, anti-seizure medications, and disease modifying medications. Finally, it describes several medications that have musculoskeletal side effects.
Duration: one hour
Instructor: Scott A. Biely, PT, DPT, PhD
Course Objectives:
- Describe the three medications most commonly used for musculoskeletal pain: pain medications, anti-inflammatories, and muscle relaxants.
- Recognize the side effects and concerns with the use of opioids for pain control.
- Distinguish the mechanism, effectiveness, and side effects of different anti-inflammatories, including corticosteroids, non-steroidal anti-inflammatories, and COX-2 inhibitors.
- Recognize the type of medication and possible harmful interactions of commonly used over the counter (OTC) medications
- Describe the use and side effects of anti-depressants and anti-seizure medications in pain control.
- Describe commonly used disease modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs) in the treatment of chronic inflammatory diseases.
- Recognize the musculoskeletal side effects of commonly used drugs, including the statins and anti-biotics.
References:
- Ciccone CD. Pharmacology in Rehabilitation, 5th ed. Philadelphia: FA Davis, 2015.
- Goodman CC, Boissonnault WG, Fuller KS. Pathology: Implications for the Physical Therapist. Philadelphia: Saunders, 2003.
