Page "Methadone" Paragraph 22

In recent years, methadone has gained popularity among physicians for the treatment of other medical problems, such as an analgesic in chronic pain.

Due to its activity at the NMDA receptor it may be more effective against neuropathic pain ; for the same reason tolerance to the analgesic effects may be lesser compared to other opioids.

The increased usage comes as doctors search for an opioid drug that can be dosed less frequently than shorter-acting drugs like morphine or hydrocodone.

Another factor in the increased usage is the low cost of methadone.