ABSTRACT

Herbal and dietary supplements account for more than $15 billion in yearly sales, with pain management as one of the most common reasons for utilization. The use of dietary supplements, which is often done without the input or monitoring of a clinician, introduces many important issues of which the health care provider should be aware. These primarily include understanding the regulation, marketing, and efficacy of supplements as well as sensitivity to the demographics and ideology of those using supplements in order to improve discussion and management. Dietary supplements commonly used for pain management and evaluated in clinical trials are reviewed.