The pain cocktail as an adjunctive agent in the treatment of spine pain patients.

A retrospective review of 20 spine pain patients hospitalized between May 1977 and May 1979, who received pain cocktails was performed to determine the effectiveness of this manner of decreasing pain medication requirements. The primary objective of the pain cocktail is to reduce or eliminate addiction, habituation, and pain medication consumption. The pharmacist is responsible for regulating dosages, performing the compounding, and writing the orders for the pain cocktails. Gradual medication adjustments, based on the patient's need and tolerance, are made. Medication was reduced in 19 of the 20 patients. Twelve patients who started on narcotic analgesics and six who started on pentazocine had a final medication reduction of 71 percent and 51 percent respectively. Five of the 12 patients receiving narcotic analgesics in their initial cocktail were tapered to acetaminophen at time of discharge. Results were favorable and indicate the pain cocktail as a beneficial treatment modality for selected spine pain patients.