Chronic Pain

The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS), a part of the National Institutes of Health, is the leading U.S. federal government agency supporting research on brain and nervous system disorders. It provides the public with educational materials and information about these disorders.

American Chronic Pain Association (ACPA) is a not-for-profit organization that provides information and support to help people live more fully in spite of their pain. ACPA groups across the U.S. are open to anyone who is living with an ongoing pain problem. These groups provide support, validation, and education in basic pain management and life skills.

The American Pain Foundation is an independent, nonprofit organization serving people with pain through information, advocacy, and support. Its mission is to improve the quality of life for people with pain by raising public awareness, providing practical information, promoting research, and advocating to remove barriers and increase access to effective pain management. The foundation encourages people with pain to learn all they can about pain and pain management treatment options, become their own best advocates, and demand the treatment they need and deserve.

Through information, education, and support, the National Pain Foundation (NPF) promotes the recovery of persons in pain. The NPF Web site provides information and resources in an interactive way that encourages patients to take an active role in managing their chronic pain. The My Pain section of the Web site includes a Personal Inventory section to help pain patients identify the information they need to manage their pain. The NPF has information about pain conditions such as arthritis, back and neck pain, and cancer pain. The NPF addresses the many approaches to pain management, such as medicines, injections, surgery, acupuncture, biofeedback, chiropractic, and physical therapy. The NPF also provides support for the special needs of children in pain and information about psychological factors related to pain. The Web site also provides information on clinical trials that are studying pain management and treatment.