Chronic Pain News and Research

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Smartwatch data may help detect opioid misuse risk

Opioid overdoses continue to take a devastating toll across the United States. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), in 2023, the nation recorded roughly 105,000 drug overdose deaths overall, with nearly 80,000 deaths involving opioids.

5 Feb 2026

Study identifies genetic fingerprint of neuropathic pain neurons

Researchers from The University of Texas at Dallas and their international colleagues have determined the molecular signature of human sleeping - or silent - nociceptors: sensory neurons that are unresponsive to touch or pressure yet are key culprits in neuropathic pain.

4 Feb 2026

Molecular signature of sleeping nociceptors offers new pain targets

Researchers from the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) and the Institute of Neurophysiology at Uniklinik RWTH Aachen in Germany have deciphered the molecular signature of so-called sleeping nociceptors-a type of pain-sensing nerve cell that normally remains quiet and does not respond to touch or pressure, but can become overactive and drive chronic pain.

4 Feb 2026

$Study identifies Apex1 as a redox-regulated driver of fracture repair$

Study identifies Apex1 as a redox-regulated driver of fracture repair

Bone fractures usually heal efficiently, but in some patients this process fails, causing nonunion. A recent study identifies Apex1 as a redox-regulated driver of fracture repair.

2 Feb 2026

Oral cancer pain and opioid tolerance share a common EGFR mechanism

Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) signaling in the tissue around oral cancers both increases nerve sensitivity and makes opioids less effective, according to new research published in Science Signaling.

29 Jan 2026

Silencing a specific brain circuit can prevent and reverse chronic pain

A neural circuit hidden in an understudied region of the brain plays a critical role in turning temporary pain into pain that can last months or years, according to new University of Colorado Boulder research.

27 Jan 2026

Facial wound secrets revealed for scarless repair

Tweaking a pattern of wound healing established millions of years ago may enable scar-free injury repair after surgery or trauma, Stanford Medicine researchers have found.

22 Jan 2026

RAS-MAPK inhibition halts spinal deformity in neurofibromatosis type 1 mouse model

Spinal deformities such as scoliosis and kyphosis are among the most serious complications of neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1), a genetic disorder that affects about one in 3,000 people.

14 Jan 2026

Chronic back pain predicts poor sleep in older men

Researchers investigate the prevalence of back pain and sleep issues in men 65 years of age and older.

12 Jan 2026

Stimulating immune cells could offer new treatment for nerve injury pain

Researchers at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center have discovered that targeting a specific immune process could help improve recovery after nerve injury and reduce chronic pain.

7 Jan 2026

Day case surgery linked to significant readmission and chronic pain risks

Two new studies published in Anaesthesia (the journal of the Association of Anaesthetists) analyzing pain and other factors connected with day surgery in the UK show that around 1 in 8 patients having day-case surgery end up not going home and instead are admitted to hospital for various complications.

7 Jan 2026

Replenishing mitochondria significantly reduces chronic nerve pain, research shows

For millions living with nerve pain, even a light touch can feel unbearable. Scientists have long suspected that damaged nerve cells falter because their energy factories known as mitochondria don't function properly.

7 Jan 2026

Gene therapy breakthrough could provide hope for millions living with chronic pain

A preclinical study uncovered a new gene therapy that targets pain centers in the brain while eliminating the risk of addiction from narcotics treatments, a breakthrough which could provide hope for the more than 50 million Americans living with chronic pain.

7 Jan 2026

Inside the battle for the future of addiction medicine

Elyse Stevens had a reputation for taking on complex medical cases. People who'd been battling addiction for decades. Chronic-pain patients on high doses of opioids. Sex workers and people living on the street.

7 Jan 2026

The gut is not just digestive and new evidence shows it actively controls brain function

This comprehensive review synthesizes a decade of human and animal research to explain how the gut and brain communicate through hormonal, neural, immune, and microbial pathways. It highlights how disruptions in these pathways contribute to gastrointestinal, metabolic, and neurological disorders, and how modern therapies are beginning to exploit gut–brain signaling for clinical benefit.

6 Jan 2026