With all the conversation going on about chronic pain, we wanted to expand on how we introduce our Flowly Article Club to keep you updated on the most recent updates and stories around pain management. This week, Flowly team member Christine wanted to share a recent article from the NY Times Magazine.
What is the article about?
“Chronic Pain is a Hidden Epidemic. It’s Time for a Revolution” discusses chronic pain, exploring its prevalence, the challenges in understanding and treating it, and the promising new research that offers hope for more effective therapies.
The author, Jennifer Kahn, shares her personal experience with chronic arm pain. She describes the sudden onset of pain, the frustrating search for a diagnosis, and the limited effectiveness of existing treatment options.
Chronic pain affects an estimated 100 million Americans and 2 billion people globally, making it more common than diabetes, heart disease, and cancer combined. Despite this, research on pain has been historically underfunded, leaving medical professionals with a limited understanding of its causes and mechanisms.
Chronic pain can arise from a variety of factors, including injuries, surgeries, autoimmune diseases, and nerve damage. It is now recognized that chronic pain can be a disease itself, characterized by the sensitization of nerves in the body, leading to persistent pain signals.
Historically, scientists struggled to understand why some individuals develop chronic pain while others with similar injuries do not. The discovery that pain-signaling pathways can become dysfunctional was a crucial breakthrough.
The opioid epidemic brought renewed attention to the urgent need for effective pain management strategies. While opioids can provide temporary relief, they carry significant risks and side effects. The lack of alternative treatments has left many patients feeling desperate and abandoned by the medical system.
Recent research initiatives, such as the HEAL initiative, are driving progress in understanding chronic pain and developing new treatment approaches. Scientists are beginning to uncover the complex biological mechanisms underlying chronic pain, paving the way for more targeted therapies.
One promising area of research focuses on sodium-ion channels encoded by certain genes, specifically NaV 1.7, which play a crucial role in acting as the starting gate for pain signals. Other research avenues include developing targeted analgesics that specifically block pain receptors in nerves without affecting other organs and exploring treatments that address nerve degeneration in conditions like peripheral neuropathy.
Beyond pharmacological interventions, there is a growing recognition of the importance of personalized treatment plans and ongoing support for chronic pain patients. Specialized pain clinics, such as the Center for Pain Medicine at UCSF, provide comprehensive care that addresses the multifaceted nature of chronic pain. These clinics offer a range of resources, including physical therapy, acupuncture, psychological support, and access to specialized pain management experts.
Jennifer Kahn concludes by expressing cautious optimism about the future of chronic pain treatment. While a complete cure remains elusive, she highlights the significant strides being made in research and the growing awareness of the need for compassionate and comprehensive care for those living with chronic pain.
How does it relate to Flowly and/or our community?
Flowly is the subject of NIH-backed clinical trials, and we’re part of NIH’s HEAL initiative and are part of the larger movement trying to expand access and knowledge around pain management. Our approach to nonstructural pain is around giving our Heroes the tools they need to learn not only how to calm and regulate their nervous system but also the guidance and support they need from licensed pain therapists to reframe their thinking around pain.
While this is a longer read, I think this article would bring some optimism to our Heroes - and those affected by chronic pain - in knowing that there is a massive paradigm shift when it comes to pain management, and we’re starting to see the healthcare industry embrace that pain requires a comprehensive, multidisciplinary approach.
Have an article you would like to share with the Flowly community? Send us an email at contact@flowly.world.
The views expressed in this blog are solely those of the writer and do not necessarily reflect the opinions or position of Flowly.