Can certain pain RX reduce central sensitization over time?

[Caedar]

This is a very theory-heavy question, so I apologize in advance. I feel at this point that I have the PT and supplementation aspect of CPPS about 75-80% figured out at this point, and mostly my problems step from hyperalgesia and spontaneous irritation/pain that doesn't seem to be referred by trigger points. These issues seem to be caused by central sensitization induced by CPPS, so I've been thinking about some pain RX options to combat this. Are there particular classes of pain RX that can help reverse central sensitization, or do they all only "mask" the pain in a way that doesn't prevent the brain from actually sensitizing in response to that pain cycle? Will merely breaking the cycle of perceived pain reduce central sensitization over time, or is there some deeper neural/nerve pathway that has to be targeted to break the sensitization cycle? To make this question more specific, will a low dose of Elavil actually help to break the sensitization cycle, or will it just hide the pain? If there's any pertinent research on this topic, I'd like to read it!

[webslave]

Hiding the pain can be very helpful. It can sometimes allow a "neural unwind". But pain meds have all sorts of drawbacks, as you know. There is no magical class of drugs that will achieve this, and moreover we all react differently to each drug, so experimentation is useful.

[Caedar]

I'm certainly aware that pain RX can break the anxiety-pain cycle. However, I guess what I'm getting at is whether pain RX can actually help reverse sensitization itself. Is there any research on this phenomenon? I realize that pain is an incredibly complex phenomenon that is difficult to dissect into nociception vs. somatization vs. sensitization, and so on, so I may be asking too much. I suppose what I'm looking for is a treatment that I could take for a certain period of time to blunt the pain in order to help reverse the cycle of sensitization and then taper off gradually in the hopes of ending up at a lower pain level than before the treatment. In other words, pain RX not to just reduce the pain while taking it, but with the goal of reducing the pain level after the treatment is finished. This obviously precludes opiates, as they can cause rebound pain after the treatment is finished.

To be clear, my pain does not currently affect my quality of life in a way that reduces my ability to go about my day-to-day tasks, my mobility, or my desire to socialize. I'm simply looking for another means to reduce my overall level of pain in the long run by targeting the sensitization component of the CPPS picture. I just don't know whether any pain treatments can help "nudge" the brain toward a less sensitized state.

[webslave]

There are pain management clinics that employ experts in this field. I know there is a lot of recent research into pain, so who knows what is coming down the pike?

You can do some research by entering the term "pain[TI]" into Pubmed (remove quotes).
http://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/