Megan Hodge experienced a severe flare-up of chronic back pain that left her feeling hopeless and frozen in her pain journey. In the United States, chronic pain affects millions of people, with opioids being the main therapy but leading to addiction and overdose epidemics. Researchers are now focusing on finding new pain treatments that are not as addictive as opioids. Vertex Pharmaceuticals is seeking approval for a new drug called suzetrigine, which shows promise in clinical trials and might lead to new pain therapies in 2025.
Chronic pain continues long after the initial trigger, with most common chronic pain conditions now thought to stem from central sensitization in the brain. Pain medications like NSAIDS, antidepressants, and opioids have limitations in treating chronic pain, and new therapies are needed urgently. Developing new pain medications has been challenging due to the lack of objective measures for pain relief and the failure of promising compounds in trials. Suzetrigine targets specific sodium ion channels and could introduce a new class of pain therapies.
Beyond medications, non-pharmacological treatments like physical therapy, neuromodulation, and complementary therapies are being explored to manage pain. Cognitive behavioral therapy, pain reprocessing therapy, and virtual reality tools are also being developed to address the amplifier problem in chronic pain. A new injectable electrode called an “injectrode” is being tested in patients to stimulate nerves deep in the body’s tissues. The goal is to find a combination of therapies that will work for individual patients based on their unique pain experiences.
The complexity and diversity of chronic pain require a personalized approach to pain management. Biomarker studies are underway to predict which therapies will work for which patients. The goal is to create a model that can predict the most effective treatments for the most common chronic pain conditions, like lower back pain. Megan Hodge found relief through a comprehensive pain management program that included various therapies and professionals working together to monitor and support her progress. While chronic pain may not have a cure, a multidisciplinary approach can provide patients with tools and strategies to better navigate their pain and improve their quality of life.
