MULTIDISCIPLINARY APPROACHES TO THE TREATMENT OF CHRONIC PAIN: INTEGRATIVE REVIEW OF CLINICAL EVIDENCE

Abstract

Chronic pain represents a significant challenge for healthcare systems due to its long-term impact on patients’ quality of life and the costs associated with its management. Traditional approaches to chronic pain management often focus on pharmacological methods, but emerging evidence suggests that multidisciplinary approaches may offer additional benefits. This integrative review aims to examine and synthesize the existing literature on multidisciplinary approaches to chronic pain management, assessing the effectiveness of different interventions and the integration of therapeutic strategies. A systematic search of electronic databases, including PubMed, Scopus, and the Cochrane Library, was conducted to identify studies that analyzed the effectiveness of multidisciplinary treatment models compared to unidisciplinary approaches. Inclusion criteria included randomized controlled trials, cohort studies, and systematic reviews published in the last 15 years. Data analysis revealed that interventions that combine pharmacological, psychosocial, and physiotherapeutic aspects tend to provide significant improvements in patients’ pain, function, and quality of life compared to pharmacological treatments alone. Furthermore, collaboration among healthcare professionals in a multidisciplinary model was associated with more effective management and better long-term outcomes. These findings highlight the importance of implementing integrated approaches to chronic pain management to optimize patient care and promote more comprehensive recovery.