In preferred embodiments, the present invention provides methods of treatment and pharmaceutical compositions for the suppression, alleviation and prevention of the often chronic, severe and debilitating pain that can accompany inflammatory diseases and neuropathic insults, pain that is often unresponsive to conventional analgesic treatment. The preferred embodiments of the present invention further relate to methods of treatment and pharmaceutical compositions using benzodiazepine derivatives that provide suppression, alleviation and prevention of neuropathic pain, migraine-related pain and inflammatory pain with reduced sedative and ataxic side effects.