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In the UK, a staggering 28 million adults grapple with chronic pain annually, a condition that can drastically disrupt their daily lives. From personal care to work and education, managing pain levels becomes a relentless struggle, with some individuals unable to even leave their beds due to excruciating discomfort.
Traditionally, strong painkillers like morphine and fentanyl have been the go-to treatment, despite their nasty side effects and high risk of addiction. But hope is on the horizon, as a groundbreaking study may revolutionise chronic pain management, potentially freeing patients from dependence on such hazardous drugs.
The pioneering research, led by Professor Nikita Gamper of the University of Leeds’ School of Biomedical Sciences, has unveiled the body’s ability to create its own targeted “sleeping pills” similar to benzodiazepines, which mute pain signals from specific nerves, thus regulating the intensity of pain experienced.
Professor Gamper remarked: “We understand quite a bit about how a person ends up feeling pain, but we can’t do much about it. Despite all the amazing discoveries and textbooks written, opioids are still the gold standard.
“Nothing substantially better than opioids has been produced. If you suffer from pain, you will likely end up with either ibuprofen, which is OK for mild pain, but absolutely does nothing for very strong pain or neuropathic pain; or opioids which are very efficacious but dangerous.”
Building on their previous work, Professor Gamper and Professor Xiaona Du at Hebei Medical University in Shijiazhuang, China, have made a discovery that could lead to a groundbreaking new treatment that moves away from traditional strong opiates. With fresh funding secured to advance this research, the team is set to delve deeper into how it could benefit those enduring chronic pain as we enter the New Year.
The research hinges on the body’s innate ability to produce substances similar to Benzodiazepines, drugs typically used for sleep and anxiety issues. Professor Gamper and his team discovered that certain cells connected to human nerves, found in structures known as spinal ganglia, can emit a particular peptide that operates on the same principle as ‘benzos’.
However, unlike these medications, because the activity is confined to the peripheral nervous system, these peptides don’t cause the entire nervous system to “go to sleep”, thus avoiding the risks associated with potent and addictive opioids. This suggests that, if effectively utilised, our bodies might possess the capability to self-regulate the intensity of pain felt.
This groundbreaking discovery could provide a beacon of hope for the millions suffering from chronic pain daily, particularly as The Health Foundation anticipates a surge in chronic pain rates before 2040. Professor Gamper’s research, published in the Journal of Clinical Investigation (JCI) in June 2024, paves the way for the creation of new, targeted medications that could block pain signals without crossing the blood-brain barrier and impacting other brain functions.
Essentially, this could mean that pain levels could be effectively managed or even completely eradicated, allowing sufferers to reclaim their lives without dealing with the labyrinth of opiate side effects, such as memory loss, nausea, and feeling like a “zombie”.
Although more research is needed, a new five-year project, funded by a £3.5 million award from the Medical Research Council and the pharmaceutical industry, is set to commence at the University of Leeds in January, focusing on potential indicators of neuropathic pain and novel pain management strategies.
