Dr Peter McKenzie B.Sc (Chemistry), MB ChB (Otago), Dip. Obst, Dip MSM (Distinction), FRNZCGP (1990), FAFMM (2002)

General Practitioner/ Musculoskeletal Pain Specialist, Nelson, NZ

Dr McKenzie splits his time evenly between General Practice (Wakefield Health Centre) and Musculoskeletal Medicine (Nelson Orthopaedic Group). As such he is in a unique position - dealing with pain from acute presentations through to chronic management (including Chronic Pain Assessments).

He is a lecturer for the Otago University Musculoskeletal Diploma, as well as taking some teaching sessions for the GP and Musculoskeletal Registrar Programmes.


He is very keen on exercise as a key component of maintaining a healthy lifestyle and participates in running, biking, skiing, tennis and kayaking.

Reducing Pain Medication in Acute Pain

The use of medication in acute pain is widespread, medically recommended and socially accepted, in fact expected.

There are a number of stepwise approaches with the WHO analgesic “ladder” being the most widely accepted. Although it was developed for cancer pain, it has been used when treating other pain such as acute pain.

This talk will mostly be limited to musculoskeletal pain. It will not be a pharmacology lecture, but will cover the various medications commonly used, and highlight some key points with regard to each.

Reducing the use of medication is a laudable aim, but in practice can be difficult to achieve. A holistic view of dealing with acute pain that de-emphasises medication use will be discussed.