Pre-emptive analgesia is an antinociceptive treatment that prevents establishment of altered processing of afferent input, thereby diminishing postoperative pain. The concept assumes that, by preventing central pain sensitization, systemic or regional analgesic regimens initiated before the onset of tissue trauma could have effects that outlast the pharmacokinetic presence of the intervention and its efficacy. Long-term, painful sequelae following surgical procedures are more common than generally appreciated and even low-level pain can be associated with decreased function, so a lot of research has been directed to this area.