Here at the London Pain Clinic, our team of world-class Pain Doctors are very optimistic about a recent research breakthrough involving the pioneering discovery of a novel pain mechanism (colloquially known as ‘sng’). – Indeed, this finding may revolutionise pain treatment in cases where standard analgesics are not making a difference [1]. – In other words, this could potentially help countless millions of patients who lives are marred by chronic pain.
In a Nutshell
With regard to chronic pain, as our Pain Consultants are regularly explaining to patients, the ‘SNG’ discovery refers to the identification of a specific sensory pathway known as sngception. The latter works to mediate sufferers’ feelings of soreness, and is distinct from conventional sharp pain (nociception). In Taiwan, ‘SNG’ translates to soreness, and the scientists behind the study, discovered that when excess glutamate is released by the muscles, it ignites pain-detecting nerves, thereby rendering them continually active, and thus generating long-term soreness. Of note, this new finding questions the current view on pain biology, thus opening the door to new objectives for the development of solutions for long-term soreness – a disorder which as our Pain Doctors are too well aware, is unresponsive to traditional painkillers [1]. So to simplify:
This recently pinpointed sensory pathway (sngception), is responsible for sufferers’ sensation of soreness
- This is distinct from nociception (pain)
- And whilst both sngception and nociception concern the nervous system, nociception is conveyed by different nerve cells, and is able to detect tissue damage [1]
So What Are the Mechanisms of Sngception?
- Redundant glutamate release: within the muscles, excessive release of the glutamate molecule ignites pain nerves in the surrounding region
- Nerve activation: this results in permanently active nerves – that is to say, the nerves do not switch off as they are supposed to
- Proprioceptors: these are sensory nerves (neurons) which can sense the movement and position of our body. They are involved in igniting acid-induced long-term soreness [1]
How This Breakthrough Can Help Those With Chronic Pain
- The new research questions existing medical dogma
- The findings overturn a 50-year-old medical construct which has linked soreness with pain
- The research creates the way for developing a new drug and therapy target: medication and other forms of treatment that will ameliorate the long-term soreness that present-day painkillers are not fulfilling
- This innovative study offers promise for countless people who are living with susceptible sng-type long-term pain [1]
Aberdeen University Department of Neurosciences
University of Aberdeen’s Senior Lecturer in Neurosciences, Dr Guy Bewick, stated: “We all know there are different types of pain. There is the sharp stinging pain of pricking your finger with a needle, and there is also the chronic pain of muscle soreness after unaccustomed exercise. Nevertheless, most of us in the West, including scientists, regard both simply as ‘pain’. Currently, Western medicine is very often ineffective for chronic pain. However, Eastern cultures have differentiated for many centuries, calling the latter ‘sng’ in Taiwanese, or ‘suan tong’ (sour pain) in Mandarin. The stinging pain from sharp objects and surgery can usually be treated effectively with common painkillers, but chronic pain often cannot” [2]. - This scenario has impacted the lives of many patients, and this is why the London Pain Clinic provides all patients with a Holistic Personalised Treatment Plan.
So What is a Personalised Treatment Plan?
This protocol is a renowned multifaceted approach to optimum pain relief and elimination. It incorporates both conventional and the latest state-of-the at cutting therapies and injectables (including pain blockers and Botox), along with guidance on diet and exercise. Consultations are available both in-person, and online.
References
[1]. NSTC (2025). “The Difference between ‘Sng’ and ‘Pain’: Medical Neuroscience Advances into Precision Treatment Era.”
https://www.nstc.gov.tw/folksonomy/detail/506a6dac-80a9-4c04-ae85-6f57dc69a72b?l=en
[2]. Technology Networks Cell Science (2025). “Physiological Pathway Identified for Chronic Pain, Providing New Drug Targets.”
