Since anxiety is a crucial link in the cycle, aren’t benzodiazepines a relevant therapy?* Why not?
* If a benzodiazepine does address nociplastic pain couldn’t taking one just for a few days be used to diagnose nociplastic pain? ‘Real’ pain would not be addressed the same way by a benzodiazepine. (They do have some analgesic properties but they’re no opioids, not by a mile. Normal doses are just anxiety-killing.)
I’m not sure if they’ve been tested, but other anxiety meds (Duloxetine especially) have been. In the short run though, I wouldn’t expect benzos to work much better than having a relaxed day in a good mood. It seems to take more time or at least some deeper changes in order to reduce the pain a lot.
Neuroplastic pain involves established neural circuits that persist even when anxiety is temporarily reduced. These pathways form over time and need retraining to resolve. It seems similar to how established habits don’t disappear after one relaxed day for people who have compulsive habits due to anxiety.
Since anxiety is a crucial link in the cycle, aren’t benzodiazepines a relevant therapy?* Why not?
* If a benzodiazepine does address nociplastic pain couldn’t taking one just for a few days be used to diagnose nociplastic pain? ‘Real’ pain would not be addressed the same way by a benzodiazepine. (They do have some analgesic properties but they’re no opioids, not by a mile. Normal doses are just anxiety-killing.)
I’m not sure if they’ve been tested, but other anxiety meds (Duloxetine especially) have been. In the short run though, I wouldn’t expect benzos to work much better than having a relaxed day in a good mood. It seems to take more time or at least some deeper changes in order to reduce the pain a lot.
Neuroplastic pain involves established neural circuits that persist even when anxiety is temporarily reduced. These pathways form over time and need retraining to resolve. It seems similar to how established habits don’t disappear after one relaxed day for people who have compulsive habits due to anxiety.