For patients with migraines finding a successful treatment without side effects can be difficult.  Combination drugs may be helpful, but a commonly used one, Midrin, is not currently available. Another common treatment includes triptans, like sumatriptan, which may cause serious cardiovascular side effects.  Compounding can offer other treatment options or replace ones not on the current market. Efficacy of a fixed combination of indomethacin, prochlorperazine, and caffeine versus sumatriptan in acute treatment of multiple migraine attacks: a multicenter, randomized, crossover trial.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed?term=12940804

Neuropathic pain, often caused from another condition like diabetes or shingles, can be incredibly painful and often debilitating. Often this pain does not respond to traditional painkillers and requires some other form of therapy.  Compounding can expand options for treatment to help the patient find a treatment that works for them.

Successful treatment of postherpetic neuralgia with oral ketamine.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed?term=7833583 

Combination of alpha lipoic acid and superoxide dismutase leads to physiological and symptomatic improvements in diabetic neuropathy.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed?term=22329607

NSAIDs are some of the most commonly prescribed pain and anti-inflammatory drugs, but they can have serious side effects especially for the gastro-intestinal system.  Compounded topical application of these same drugs can be as beneficial as when taken orally without the complications of systemic side effects.

Topical Nonsteroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs: The Importance of Drug, Delivery, and Therapeutic Outcome.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed?term=22367354

Coming to terms with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug gastropathy.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed?term=22564130

Evolution of Topical NSAIDs in the Guidelines for Treatment of Osteoarthritis in Elderly Patients.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed?term=22559274

Quantitative systematic review of topically applied non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed?term=9487165

Pain management often involves oral pain medications, but this can come with many side effects.  The use of topical agents can help avoid systemic side effects while still being successful in managing pain.

Cutaneous analgesia after transdermal application of amitriptyline versus lidocaine in rats.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed?term=12761001

Topical amitriptyline in healthy volunteers.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed?term=12945021 

Topical analgesics.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed?term=22440379

Local application of strong opioids and wound-related pain.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed?term=22216634 

Characterization of the antihyperalgesic action of a novel peripheral mu-opioid receptor agonist–loperamide.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed?term=9915332