Unveiling Chronic Pain: Understanding Prevalence, Management, Psychiatric Comorbidity, and Inflammatory Mechanisms

Dear Colleagues,

Chronic pain affects approximately 20% of the world's population, thus posing both a prevalent and a daunting healthcare challenge. This Special Issue critically synthesizes the current knowledge on the global burden of chronic pain, elucidating its intricate association with psychiatric disorders and the emergent insights into the role of inflammation, as well as investigating how biological, behavioral, psychosocial, and environmental factors profoundly affect individuals suffering from chronic pain, ultimately impacting their quality of life.

This Special Issue is dedicated to comprehensively exploring the prevalence of chronic pain and its intricate links to psychiatric disorders, with a special emphasis on the pivotal role of inflammation. Moreover, it aims to offer fresh perspectives on effective pain management. This compilation ranges from foundational biological insights to behavioral studies that shed light on psychosocial aspects of chronic pain to an investigation of its contributing environmental factors. Leveraging rigorous study designs, solid theoretical frameworks, and methodological precision, we hope the contributions within this Special Issue could unravel the intricate relationship between chronic pain and psychiatric disorders, offering an exhaustive, evidence-based exploration of these interconnected phenomena while also illuminating the pervasive role of inflammation and proposing strategies to enhance the quality of life of those affected. We underscore the effectiveness of multidisciplinary research, leading clinicians and researchers toward a more profound understanding of chronic pain, as well as endeavor to bridge the gap between scientific discovery and clinical practice, emphasizing innovative approaches to management and care.

By encapsulating diverse perspectives and fostering cross-disciplinary dialogue, this Special Issue is devoted to addressing the multifaceted challenges posed by chronic pain. It seeks to advance the healthcare field by integrating various research strands into a coherent framework that enriches our comprehension of this complex condition.

In conclusion, this Special Issue is intended to stand as a compendium of cutting-edge interdisciplinary works, at the crossroads of scientific progress and advances in medical practice , with the aim of improving patient outcomes through a synergistic exploration of the biological, psychosocial, and environmental dimensions of chronic pain. It underscores the necessity for high-quality research that is not only methodologically rigorous but also innovative and aligned with the practical imperatives of improving the quality of life for millions of affected patients.

Prof. Dr. Nóra Kerekes
Prof. Dr. Marc Landry
Prof. Dr. Ana María Sánchez-Pérez
Guest Editors

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• chronic pain
• psychiatric disorders
• inflammation
• quality of life
• evidence-based investigations
• innovative pain management
• interdisciplinary evidence
• healthcare challenges