Chronic pain and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) frequently co-occur and worsen each other. In a Phase 2 open-label trial of MDMA-assisted therapy for PTSD, 84% of 32 participants reported pain and 75% reported pain-related disability. After treatment, those with the highest baseline pain showed significant reductions in pain intensity, disability, and overall severity grade; those with medium baseline pain also showed significant reductions in pain intensity. The findings suggest MDMA-assisted therapy may reduce chronic pain in people with severe PTSD, but the data are preliminary and encourage further research.
All participants reported decreased pain with ketamine infusions, though pain experiences varied. To improve ketamine's benefit for chronic neuropathic pain, it is important to address stigma, research ways to extend the duration of its effects, and provide a safe treatment environment. Understanding barriers and facilitators, along with implementing participant suggestions, can inform ketamine programs, improve access to pain management, and guide future research.