Cassidy DeMasi
11/25/2025
Dr. Barbato
New Gene Presents Game Changer for Patients with Chronic Pain
Who wants to consistently live in pain? Chronic pain is pain that recurrent pain that lasts for more than six months, or whatever your body's healing time would be. This pain, being so consistent, can affect the quality of your life and could potentially stay with you for the rest of your life. Examples of chronic pain include arthritis, postsurgical pain, chronic migraines, neuropathy, cancer-related pain, and fibromyalgia. Some patients live in so much pain that they have no other choice but to treat the pain with highly addictive opioids. This can cause some patients to fall into drug addiction.
However, researchers have identified a finding that could potentially help address this problem and safely treat chronic pain. Researchers have identified a new gene called the SLC45A4 gene that directly controls and affects pain sensitivity. This is so big because if scientists could find a way to manipulate this gene, there could be a potential treatment for diminishing the pain using genetic manipulation. The article states a direct quote, "We discovered a new pain gene, gained insights into the atomic structure of this molecule, and connected its function to the excitability of neurons that respond to tissue injury. Ultimately, our findings reveal a promising new target for the treatment of chronic pain" (Breakthrough Discovery Reveals New Gene Linked to Chronic Pain, 2024). The idea of being able to cease pain function for patients with chronic pain is a game-changer. Especially with those who have no other option for pain management with a previous addiction in the family or addictive qualities.
Breakthrough discovery reveals new gene linked to chronic pain. (2024). Ox.ac.uk. https://www.bioch.ox.ac.uk/article/breakthrough-discovery-reveals-new-gene-linked-to-chronic-pain-0
Mayo Clinic. (2024, July 20). How opioid addiction occurs. Mayo Clinic. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/prescription-drug-abuse/in-depth/how-opioid-addiction-occurs/art-20360372
Could this treatment be used to treat pain in general areas, or is it just the whole body. If it is just the whole body, it may not be wise to pursue. If someone has something happen to them, and pain would normally alert them that there is something wrong, what would happen in this case? Although they might still feel pain, they may not feel it until it reaches a certain threshold, which at that point it may be too late for treatment.
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