Pain treatments that are used in general populations cannot simply be generalized to IDD populations. There may be associated safety risks and there is a need to systematically test the available treatments.

Cedarville University

There is very little research that has examined the effectiveness of nonpharmacological pain treatments in indviduals with IDD. Psychotherapy is a growing treatment for conditions like depression and anxiety, but there are few studies that look at its impact on pain management.

Nonpharmacological Approaches to Treating Pain in Individuals with IDD

Barney, C. C., Andersen, R. D., Defrin, R., Genik, L. M., McGuire, B. E., & Symons, F. J. (2020). Challenges in pain assessment and management among individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Pain reports, 5(4), e821. https://doi.org/10.1097/PR9.0000000000000822

Challenges in pain assessment and management among individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities


Prevention is the most effective approach to reducing and treating pain in IDD populations. For example, regular scans and X-Rays can prevent problems from going undetected. 

Pain Prevention Approaches for Individuals with IDD

Caution in Generalizing Pain Treatments 

Virtual Reality (VR) is being used at increasing rates to distract typically developing patients during medical procedures. There are findings that VR can effectively reduce pain and anxiety with few side effects. VR has been used successfully in patients with IDD during procedures like botulinum toxin injections (with and without nitrous oxide), venipuncture, casting, and postoperative pain management.

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