Pain

Chronic pain affects one in five people. It remains a leading cause of disability worldwide and drives significant healthcare costs, yet effective treatment remains a challenge. Older adults face added risks due to comorbidities and polypharmacy, while children often carry chronic pain into adulthood. Multimodal approaches are standard, but many patients report limited relief. Non-pharmacologic strategies, digital tools, and emerging therapies offer new hope – but personalized care is still an unmet need.

What are the main types of chronic pain, and how are they classified?

There are three categories of chronic pain:

• Nociceptive – caused by tissue damage or inflammation (e.g., arthritis, post-surgery pain, injury-related pain)
• Neuropathic – resulting from lesions or disease of the somatosensory system (e.g., diabetic neuropathy, post-herpetic neuralgia)
• Nociplastic – occurs without clear evidence of tissue or nerve damage and often accompanied by fatigue, mood changes, and sleep disturbance (e.g., fibromyalgia, irritable bowel syndrome)

The International Classification of Diseases, 11th Revision (ICD-11) further categorizes chronic pain into seven diagnostic groups:

• Primary pain
• Cancer-related pain
• Postsurgical or posttraumatic pain
• Neuropathic pain
• Secondary or orofacial pain
• Secondary visceral pain 
• Secondary musculoskeletal pain

How effective are non-pharmacologic interventions for chronic pain?

Non-pharmacologic interventions – including exercise, cognitive behavioral therapy, mindfulness, yoga, and acupuncture – show modest but meaningful benefits. They improve physical function and coping, though effects on pain intensity vary. Digital therapeutics and immersive technologies like extended reality (XR) are emerging as promising adjuncts.

What are the risks of opioid use in chronic pain?

Opioids carry risks of dependence, overdose, sedation, and adverse drug interactions, especially in older adults. Guidelines recommend cautious, individualized prescribing and warn against abrupt tapering, which may cause harm.

Developed by EPG Health for Medthority, independently of any sponsor.