Chronic pain is a debilitating condition that predisposes humans to long years of pain. Now, scientists have found a way to reverse the condition as they discovered the molecular pathway for chronic pain in laboratory animals. Thus, it has opened doors and gave light to the treatment for Americans.
According to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, chronic pain is now believed to be a chronic disease condition just like other diseases like asthma and diabetes. It varies from acute pain in the sense that it lasts longer and it is more resistant to many medical treatments.
In the United Kingdom, chronic pain is a debilitating disorder that is affecting around 14 million people. However, the researchers claim that their discovery could give hope in understanding it through studying animals who do not feel it at all.
The researchers were able to identify a faulty gene that seems to switch off pain in some people. They are hoping that their discovery could lead to innovation of new treatments for those living with chronic pain, BBC reports.
Worldwide, the use of pain killers is rampant. There are many ill side effects for most of them. Many can even cause addiction and dependence.
The said study by Richard Ambron and Ying-Ju Sung of Columbia University Medical Center (CUMC) has analyzed data from 15 rats wherein they found out that inflammation or injury would initiate a cascade of chemical events that would activate the protein kinase G (PKG). This causes nerve cells to become hyperexcitable and could signal the brain pain centers. Whenever PKG is active, pain is present, reports Live Science.
"Chronic pain is debilitating and greatly diminishes the quality of life, but it has yet to generate the funding that is needed to understand its biological and molecular basis," Dr. Ambron said.
Their research was funded by aaiPharma, a company that is interested in developing pain drugs.