Pain Medicine Specialist: Championing High-Quality Development for Neuromodulation Technology

Abstract

Neuromodulation technology, an interdisciplinary field integrating neuroscience, engineering, and clinical medicine, offers novel therapeutic paradigms for numerous intractable diseases. In pain medicine, it modulates nervous system function through electrical or chemical signals, emerging as a core approach for managing refractory pain. However, the rapid advancement of this technology has coincided with a persistent underappreciation of the core value and multidimensional roles of pain physicians. This paper systematically elucidates the essence and scope of neuromodulation technology, analyzes its unique advantages in addressing the diagnostic and therapeutic challenges of refractory pain, and reviews its rapid developmental trajectory. It critically highlights the indispensable, yet often underestimated, role of pain physicians in driving the high-quality advancement of this field. Furthermore, this paper explores safety concerns in clinical applications and highlights the need to establish robust monitoring, evaluation, and education systems. Finally, future directions for pain specialists in leading the evolution of neuromodulation are outlined.

Graphical Abstract

Keywords

Neuromodulation technology / Pain medicine / High-quality development / Pain physicians / Nervous system modulation / Refractory pain

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Funding

Natural Science Foundation of Hainan Province(No. 825MS198)

RIGHTS & PERMISSIONS

The Author(s), under exclusive licence to the Huazhong University of Science and Technology

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