Pain is a pervasive problem in our society, affecting more than 100 million Americans and accounting for more than $600 billion in healthcare costs and lost productivity.

Current treatments for chronic pain are inadequate. In order to develop more effective therapies, Stanford’s Systems Neuroscience and Pain Laboratory (SNAPL) has an active clinical research program investigating the body’s response to pain and how chronic pain in particular changes the brain and central nervous system. More detailed information on these pain research studies is located on the SNAPL website.

Stanford’s clinical studies are making steady advances in our understanding of chronic pain, which in turn are helpingus to develop more better treatments. Stanford’s ongoing studies are often reported in the popular press, including television, in magazines, journals, and newspapers. Links to some of these reports are available in the selected press archive (below).