Chronic Pain
Low Dose Naltrexone (LDN): A Novel Approach to Chronic Pain, Inflammation, and Recovery
Naltrexone is a medication that has been used for decades at higher doses, typically 50 mg, for the treatment of opioid and alcohol use disorders. At these doses, it works by blocking opioid receptors, which reduces the reinforcing effects of addictive substances. Low dose naltrexone, usually defined as doses between 0.5 mg and 4.5 mg, works very differently. Instead of sustained opioid blockade, it produces a brief and partial receptor blockade that appears to trigger downstream regulatory effects in the nervous system and immune system.