The invention relates to methods of use of synthetic peptide amides that are ligands of the kappa opioid receptor in the treatment and prevention of kappa opioid receptor-associated diseases and conditions; and particularly to uses of these agonists in the prophylaxis, inhibition and treatment of pain, inflammation and pruritis associated with a variety of diseases, disorders and conditions. Inflammatory conditions preventable or treatable by the methods of the invention include diseases and conditions associated with elevated levels of a proinflammatory cytokines, such as TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6, MMP-1 and MMP-3. Such diseases and conditions include cardiovascular inflammation, neurological inflammation, skeletal inflammation, muscular inflammation, gastrointestinal inflammation, ocular inflammation, otic inflammation, inflammation due to insect bites and inflammation due to wound healing; atherosclerosis, ischemia, restenosis and vasculitis; of asthma, Sjogren's syndrome, pulmonary inflammation, chronic airway inflammation and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), allergy, psoriasis, psoriatic arthritis, eczema, scleroderma, atopic dermatitis and systemic lupus erythematosus, arthritis, synovitis, osteomyelitis, rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis and ankylosing spondylitis; septicemia and septic shock, diabetes, glucose intolerance, insulin resistance and obesity, colitis, ulcerative colitis, Crohn's disease, IBD and IBS, and the inflammatory diseases and conditions due to tumor proliferation, tumor metastasis or transplantation rejection.