Definition: An adjuvant analgesic is a medication that is not primarily designed to control pain, but can be used for this purpose. Some examples of adjuvant analgesics are medications like antidepressants and anticonvulsants.
You might be prescribed an adjuvant analgesic in addition to other pain medications, or on its own. Adjuvant analgesics tend to be less effective for musculoskeletal pain such as back pain or joint pain. However, they can work well for neuropathic pain and pain syndromes such as fibromyalgia.
Unlike many other non-opioid analgesics, adjuvant analgesics are not available over the counter.
