Non-Pharmacological Treatment Approaches for People with Concurrent Chronic Pain and Opioid Use Disorder: A Scoping Review
- 1Monash Addiction Centre, Eastern Health Clinical School, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
- 2Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
- 3Hamilton Centre, Turning Point, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
Abstract
Background: Almost half (44%) of people receiving pharmacotherapy for opioid use disorder (OUD) have comorbid chronic non-cancer pain (CNCP). Non-pharmacological treatments for pain management are recommended alongside pharmacotherapy, yet evidence regarding their effectiveness, feasibility, acceptability, and affordability remains limited, warranting an updated review of current evidence.
Methods: A scoping review was conducted following JBI methodology and PRISMA-ScR guidelines. Four databases were searched in November 2025, while a grey literature search was conducted in Google Scholar in December 2025 for publications on non-pharmacological interventions for adults with concurrent CNCP and OUD. Eligible publications were screened independently, data were extracted using a standardised form, and findings were synthesised narratively.
Results: 35 publications were included, representing 15 publications from 13 primary studies and 20 protocols. Findings from the 13 primary studies primarily examined psychosocial, physical activity, and multimodal interventions, with psychosocial interventions being the most frequently studied. Overall, non-pharmacological interventions showed potential benefits in reducing pain, opioid craving, and substance use. Feasibility varied across intervention modalities, while acceptability was generally favourable among the 7 primary studies that assessed it.
Conclusion: This scoping review mapped the available evidence on psychosocial, physical, and multimodal approaches for managing co-occurring CNCP and OUD. However, current evidence remains limited and insufficient to determine comparative effectiveness. The growing number of recently completed and ongoing trials indicates an expanding evidence base that will support more robust future evaluation and inform clinical practice.
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BibTeX
@article{yang2026nonpharmacological,
title = {{Non-Pharmacological Treatment Approaches for People with Concurrent Chronic Pain and Opioid Use Disorder: A Scoping Review}},
author = {Jie Yang and Nazifa Rahman and Thi Nguyen and Monica Jung and Dereje Assefa and Rhiannon Dowla and Lisa J Fyfield and Zoe Bertenshaw and Suzanne Nielsen and Louisa Picco},
journal = {Substance Abuse and Rehabilitation},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.2147/sar.s608433},
url = {https://doi.org/10.2147/sar.s608433},
note = {CC BY-NC 4.0},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Non-Pharmacological Treatment Approaches for People with Concurrent Chronic Pain and Opioid Use Disorder: A Scoping Review
AU - Jie Yang
AU - Nazifa Rahman
AU - Thi Nguyen
AU - Monica Jung
AU - Dereje Assefa
AU - Rhiannon Dowla
AU - Lisa J Fyfield
AU - Zoe Bertenshaw
AU - Suzanne Nielsen
AU - Louisa Picco
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/27
JO - Substance Abuse and Rehabilitation
DO - 10.2147/sar.s608433
UR - https://doi.org/10.2147/sar.s608433
AB - Background: Almost half (44%) of people receiving pharmacotherapy for opioid use disorder (OUD) have comorbid chronic non-cancer pain (CNCP). Non-pharmacological treatments for pain management are recommended alongside pharmacotherapy, yet evidence regarding their effectiveness, feasibility, acceptability, and affordability remains limited, warranting an updated review of current evidence. Methods: A scoping review was conducted following JBI methodology and PRISMA-ScR guidelines. Four databases were searched in November 2025, while a grey literature search was conducted in Google Scholar in December 2025 for publications on non-pharmacological interventions for adults with concurrent CNCP and OUD. Eligible publications were screened independently, data were extracted using a standardised form, and findings were synthesised narratively. Results: 35 publications were included, representing 15 publications from 13 primary studies and 20 protocols. Findings from the 13 primary studies primarily examined psychosocial, physical activity, and multimodal interventions, with psychosocial interventions being the most frequently studied. Overall, non-pharmacological interventions showed potential benefits in reducing pain, opioid craving, and substance use. Feasibility varied across intervention modalities, while acceptability was generally favourable among the 7 primary studies that assessed it. Conclusion: This scoping review mapped the available evidence on psychosocial, physical, and multimodal approaches for managing co-occurring CNCP and OUD. However, current evidence remains limited and insufficient to determine comparative effectiveness. The growing number of recently completed and ongoing trials indicates an expanding evidence base that will support more robust future evaluation and inform clinical practice.
SN - 1179-8467
ER -