Compositions and methods are for inducing, promoting or otherwise facilitating pain relief. More particularly, sub-doses of nitric oxide donors are used in the therapeutic management of vertebrate animals including humans, for the prevention or alleviation of pain, especially neuropathic pain. In some applications of the method, nitric oxide donors can be administered by any suitable route so as to provide concentrations of NO that are about ½ to 10−15 times those known to induce vasodilation in normal circulations.
