Here at the London Pain Clinic, our world-class Pain Doctors are at the forefront of the latest pain treatments. therapies, and injectables. And part of this means being abreast of the latest global research (particularly from the UK and US). To that end, we would like to inform our readers, many of whom suffer from long-term pain, that here in Britain, researchers and Pain Doctors are rethinking what chronic pain treatment should look like.
A Much Needed Breakthrough in Pain Medicine
As our Pain Consultants (who provide Holistic Personalised Treatment Plans), regularly explain: research into non-addictive pharmaceuticals to quell chronic pain, is transforming the use of painkillers. This scenario is due to the development of innovative drugs which are able to modify pain pathways, without impacting the brain. – And thus lower the risk of overdose and addiction linked to opioid use. In order to bring this option about, studies have centred on innovative mechanisms, including:
- Selectively blocking sodium channels engaged in pain signalling, and
- Developing fine-tuned pain management programs such as antibody-based treatments, along with support protocols designed to help sufferers wean off opioid medication
Did You Know?
“The ability to “feel” pain is composed of two components: (i) a sensory component (nociception) whereby specialised peripheral neurons called nociceptors detect noxious stimuli and relay this information to the spinal cord and (ii) a perceptive component whereby the nociceptive signals are integrated and processed in the brain” [1]. Note: nociception can be described as the process through which nociceptors react to potentially damaging stimuli by transmitting nerve signals to the spinal cord and brain, thereby resulting in the perception of pain.
A Bold New Strategy to Avoid Side Effects & Improve Chronic Pain
- Selective sodium channel blockers are a new class of pharmaceuticals which are under development to block certain sodium channels (including NaV1.7, NaV1.8, and NaV1.9), which are located on peripheral pain-sensing nerves. This strategy has the means to halt pain signals before they arrive at the brain. – This is in sharp contrast to opioid medication, which works on the body’s central nervous system [1].
Avoiding the Central Side-Effects Linked to Opioid Analgesics
As our Pain Doctors regularly impress upon patients: in order to bypass this scenario (which in some instances, can have highly detrimental consequences), “considerable focus has been placed on developing analgesic drugs that target peripheral nociceptors” [1]. (Note: peripheral nociceptors refer to sensory receptors within the peripheral nervous system. They are responsible for detecting painful stimuli).
Commenting on this new innovation, Allan Basbaum, a leading neuroscientist at the University of California, San Francisco, concurs with our leading Pain Doctors here at the London Pain Clinic. He noted: “A new drug for pain is terrific. That it is a non-opioid is huge. It is what we’re looking for. Opioids are cheap and highly effective painkillers, but carry addiction risks and can have unpleasant side effects” [2].
Taking a Multi-Modular Approach to Chronic Pain
Research has shown that when it comes to long-term pain, a multi-faceted approach is the best strategy. To that end, here at the London Pain Clinic, once our patients have been given an accurate diagnosis (something that GPs cannot always provide), they are then given a Holistic Personalised Treatment Plan. This is likely to incorporate conventional and the latest cutting-edge, state-of-the- art treatments, pharmaceuticals, therapies and injectables (including pain blockers and Botox). Note: consultations can be either in person, or online; and it any examinations, scans, or tests are necessary, they they will be arranged by your Pain Specialist.
References
[1]. David A. Eagles, Chun Yuen Chow, Glenn F. King (2020), British Journal of Pharmacology. Volume 179, Issue 14 pp. 3592-3611. As cited by Bioxcell.
https://bpspubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/bph.15327
[2]. King, A. (2025). “New type of painkiller approved in US.” Chemistry World.
https://www.chemistryworld.com/news/new-type-of-painkiller-approved-in-us/4020941.article
