Opioids, either short acting or long acting, should be considered for severe pain. They should be monitored for side effects, in particular constipation, which can cause extreme discomfort. Therefore, any individual on chronic opioids should take prophylactic laxatives. Finally, tricyclic antidepressants may be of benefit. These agents may help the patient sleep better at night and have some analgesic activity particularly against neuropathic pain.
Neuropathic pain arises from nerve injury and is often opioid resistant.
Behavioral and cognitive coping techniques may also be extremely valuable. These include hypnosis, breathing, meditation, visual imagery, and other forms of distraction. These limitations notwithstanding, our findings are congruent with our clinical experience. In summary, our data reveals that individuals with EDS experience frequent and severe pain through much of their lives. These problems have been unrecognized previously in the published literature.