En español
NIDA
Home » Related Topics » Pain

Pain

Brief Description

Chronic pain affects an estimated 100 million Americans, or one third of the U.S. population, and it is the primary reason Americans are on disability. Although many treatments are available for pain, the number of prescriptions for opioid pain relievers has increased dramatically in recent years. Similarly, there has been an increase in both treatment admissions for prescription opioid addiction as well as accidental overdoses.  As a result, NIDA is working with the public health community to ensure effective and safe management of pain. This section looks at many of these initiatives.

Chronic pain is a major public health problem. It affects more than one-third of the U.S. and 20%-30% of the world's population. Prevalence of persistent pain is expected to rise with the increase in diabetes, cardiovascular disorders, obesity, arthritis and cancer in the aging U.S. population. Opioids can produce significant side effects such as respiratory depression, mental clouding, nausea, constipation and physical dependence. Opioid prescribing has increased 300% in the last 20 years. Today, the number of people who die from prescription opioids exceeds the number from heroin and cocaine combined

Learn more:

Explaining Pain

The NIH Institute and Center Directors who co-chair the NIH Pain Consortium discuss the importance of collaboration in pain research, as well as research priorities for their individual science programs.

Pain Awareness Month Videos

Pain Awareness Month: Dr. Nora Volkow on Pain Research and Opioids

Pain Awareness Month: Dr. Walter Koroshetz on Pain Research Initiatives

Pain Awareness Month: Dr. Martha Somerman on Pain Consortium and Chronic Pain Research


 

Pain Awareness Month: Dr. Josephine Briggs on Alternative Approaches to Pain Management


 

Pain Awareness Month: Dr. Patricia Grady on Pain Management Research and Patient Care


 

Related Videos

Related Publications

Cover art for Opioid Facts for Teens

Opioid Facts for Teens

Presented in question-and-answer format and targeted to teens, provides facts about opioids and their potential harmful effects.  (July 2018) En Español

Misuse of Prescription Drugs Research Report

Misuse of Prescription Drugs

Offers the latest research findings on prescription drug misuse, including the classes of prescription drugs that are most commonly misused, possible effects on the brain and body, and treatment options for prescription drug addiction. (January 2018) En Español

Prescription drug abuse and heroin use

Prescription Opioids and Heroin

Explores the relationship between prescription opioid abuse and heroin use, including prescription opioid use as a risk factor for heroin use, reasons why people progress from using prescription opioids to heroin, and the need for prevention and treatment. (January 2018)

Fentanyl

Offers basic facts about the synthetic opioid Fentanyl including how it is abused, its effect on the brain, and other health effects. (June 2016) En Español

Prescription Opioids

A plain language summary of prescription opioids that explains effects on the brain and reported use. (June 2018) En Español

Publication cover

Opioids

A visually appealing booklet for students that explains how prescription pain medicines, opioids, change the way the communication centers in the brain work and ultimately cause their effects. Formerly referred to as Mind Over Matter, this booklet is part of a series focused on easy-to-understand scientific facts. For a limited time, hard copies of the older Mind Over Matter series with Sara Bellum are still available from our clearinghouse. (July 2018) En Español

View all related publications

Related Policy Briefs

Improving Opioid Prescribing

Improving Opioid Prescribing

This brief fact sheet provides information about the risks of prescription opioid pain relievers and a summary of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Guideline for Opioid Prescribing for Pain. (March 2017)

Naloxone for Opioid Overdose: Life-Saving Science

Naloxone for Opioid Overdose: Life-Saving Science

This brief fact sheet provides information about the life-saving drug naloxone, which can reverse an opioid overdose, including how it works and where to get it. (March 2017)

Effective Treatments for Opioid Addiction

Effective Treatments for Opioid Addiction

This brief fact sheet provides information about the effectiveness of medications for opioid use disorders and recent scientific advances in this area. (November 2016)

Related Resources

Pain Infographic Image Courtesy of NIH Pain Consortium

Other Resources

Past information on many drugs of abuse is available on our Archives site.

Clinical Trials

Clinical trials are research studies in human volunteers conducted to answer specific health questions. Learn about the NIH-sponsored clinical trials available to you.

Other Clinical Trials information sources:

This page was last updated May 2017

Get this Publication

    Cite this article

    NIDA. (2017, May 12). Pain. Retrieved from https://www.drugabuse.gov/related-topics/pain

    press ctrl+c to copy
    NIDAMED Logo
    What is NIDAMED? 
    Watch Video

    Fighting Pain in the U.S. Military and Veterans Infographic

    Fighting pain in the U.S. military and veterans

    Fighting pain in the U.S. military and veterans (NCCIH)

    New Opioid Overdose Materials for Patients

    A person typing on a laptop.

    Opioid Overdose Materials (CDC)

    NIH Pain Consortium

    NIH Pain Consortium logo

    Other Articles of Interest

    NIDA Notes

    Nora's Blog

    Science Highlight