[1][2][3] Multimodal analgesia refers to the use of multiple classes of medications in order to treat pain from different molecular mechanisms at once.
[4][5][6] Anticonvulsants work through blockade of sodium and calcium ion channels to reduce glutamate (excitatory neurotransmitter) release.
[7] Nociceptor hyper-excitability, due to damage to pain-transmitting neurons, results in chronic neuropathic pain.
[8] There is some evidence that anticonvulsants may also help with inflammatory pain through reduction of nociceptor hyper-excitability originally due to damage to surrounding tissue.
[17] Central alpha-2 adrenergic activation in the locus ceruleus and spinal cord induce sedation and pain modulation respectively.