Chronic Pain Treatment Market Size & Share Analysis - Trends, Drivers, Competitive Landscape, and Forecasts (2024 - 2030)

The chronic pain treatment market generated revenue of USD 97.6 billion in 2023, which is expected to witness a CAGR of 7.4% during 2024–2030, to reach USD 159.6 billion by 2030. The key factors responsible for the growth of the market include the increasing government support for such solutions, rising geriatric population, and surging prevalence of chronic health conditions.

Chronic Pain Treatment Market Trends & Drivers

Innovations in the Field of Pain Management Is a Key Trend in the Market

• The market players have been continuously investing in developing innovative products for chronic pain treatment. Wearable technology for the treatment of chronic pain is one of the key advancements in the chronic pain treatment market.
• Moreover, several companies are currently focusing on developing non-opioid pain therapy systems to target dorsal root ganglion (DRG). For instance, Abbott Laboratories has launched IonicRF generator, an RF ablation device that projects heat at specific nerves to prevent pain signals from making it to the brain. Similarly, in 2022, Abbott Laboratories announced the launch of NeuroSphere myPath, a digital health application designed to track and report on patient-perceived pain relief and general wellbeing associated with spinal cord stimulation (SCS) or DRG therapy.

Growing Geriatric Population and Prevalence of Chronic Health Conditions Are Key Growth Drivers

• According to the World Health Organization (WHO), between 2015 and 2050, the proportion of the world's population over 60 years will nearly double from 12% to 22%.
• Moreover, older patients in nursing homes display a rather high prevalence of chronic pain, which has become a serious problem for care facilities. To treat this condition in the aged population, pharmacological, non-pharmacological (physical therapy, such as exercise, foot orthotics, or patellar taping for knee osteoarthritis), and occupational therapies (joint protection education and assistive devices) are majorly used, which, in turn, has a positive influence on the chronic pain treatment market.
• Globally, the rising prevalence of chronic diseases is one of the major healthcare burdens, as they affect high-income as well as low- and middle-income countries. Chronic diseases including osteoarthritis, cancer, fibromyalgia, sickle-cell anemia, and autoimmune diseases (rheumatoid arthritis), which require therapeutic intervention for proper pain treatment. The impact of these diseases can be ascertained from the fact that cancer causes 10 million deaths each year, as reported by the WHO. Owing to the increasing prevalence of chronic diseases, several treatment options, such as medication, physiotherapy, and psychological therapy, are used widely to manage pain.

Side-Effects Associated with Pain Management Drugs and Devices

• There are many side-effects associated with pain management drugs and devices. Gastrointestinal bleeding and ulceration are the most-common risks of NSAIDs. Additionally, these medicines have the possibility of causing severe and deadly vascular problems, including heart attack and stroke. Opioid analgesics commonly cause drowsiness, dizziness, and respiratory depression. However, these side-effects usually disappear with the continued use of these drugs. These drugs also cause euphoria, agitation, dysphoria, seizures, low blood pressure and heart rate, hallucinations, muscular rigidity and contractions, urinary retention, and nausea and vomiting.
• Furthermore, pain management devices also leave patients with certain side-effects when used with inappropriate medications. For instance, in January 2020, the USFDA warned of the high risk of breathing problems with neuropathic pain and seizure medicines, such as gabapentin and pregabalin. The USFDA has directed pharma firms to carry out clinical trials to evaluate the abuse potential of these drugs, especially in combination with opioids, amidst their increasing abuse and misuse and due to the fact combining them with opioids can raise the chances of depressed respiration.

In-Depth Segmentation Analysis

Product Type Insights

• On the basis of product, the drugs category is projected to grow at the higher CAGR, of around 7.7%, during 2024–2030, as well as hold the larger market share. This is mainly due to the increasing prevalence of various types of chronic pain, such as lower back pain, severe headache or migraine pain, and facial pain.
• Additionally, due to the growing geriatric population across the world, sedentary lifestyle, and rising number of surgical procedures, the market for painkillers is further expected to grow in the forecast period.
• Moreover, the opioids category dominated the global chronic pain drugs market in 2023. Opioids are regarded as one of the most-effective drug classes for the treatment of chronic pain. This category is expected to continue dominating the market in the coming years due to the wide availability of these drugs across the world as OTC as well as prescription medicines. Some of the common opioid brands are Opana by Endo Pharmaceuticals Inc. and Durogesic and Jurnista by Janssen Pharmaceuticals Inc.
• Further, the NSAIDs category is witnessing the highest CAGR, of 8.2%, during the forecast period. NSAIDs are widely used in the treatment of inflammation, mild-to-moderate pain, and fever. Many NSAIDs, including ibuprofen (Motrin, Advil) and naproxen (Aleve, Naprosyn), are available as OTC drugs.

During the study, we have analyzed two product types in the report:

• Drugs (Larger and Faster-Growing Category)
• Devices

Application Analysis

• The musculoskeletal category held the largest market share, of around 40%, in 2023, based on application. This is majorly attributed to the high prevalence of musculoskeletal disorders, such as osteoarthritis, fibromyalgia, and rheumatoid arthritis. As per the National Health Interview Survey (NHIS), during 2019–2021, an estimated 53.2 million U.S. adults (21.2%) had been told by a doctor that they had some form of arthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, gout, lupus, or fibromyalgia.
• Moreover, the prevalence of arthritis in adults of all ages increased from 2019 to 2021 in the U.S. Around 5.4% of adults aged 18 to 44 years have arthritis.
• Similarly, according to the WHO, lower back pain is a leading cause of disability worldwide, which is why the musculoskeletal category is expected to witness a CAGR of 7.3% during the forecast period.

Below are the major applications that can require chronic pain treatment:

• Musculoskeletal (Largest Category)
• Neuropathy
• Oncology (Fastest-Growing Category)
• Others

Indication Insights

• On the basis of indication, the cancer pain category is projected to grow at the highest CAGR, of 8.0%, during 2024–2030. As per the National Cancer Institute (NCI), cancer is among the leading causes of death worldwide. By 2040, the number of new cancer cases diagnosed per year is expected to rise to 29.5 million and the number of cancer-related deaths to 16.4 million. Thus, the rising number of cancer survivors is driving the market, as the disease causes long-lasting and, often, excruciating pain.

Indications covered in the report include:

• Neuropathic Pain (Largest Category)
• Arthritis Pain
• Chronic Back Pain
• Cancer Pain (Fastest-Growing Category)
• Migraine
• Fibromyalgia
• Others

Distribution Channel Analysis

• The direct category held the larger market share, of around 75%, for chronic pain treatment in 2023, and it is projected to register the faster growth during the forecast period, based on distribution channel. The growing emphasis of pharmaceutical and medical device manufacturers on direct distribution is the leading factor driving the growth of the market in this category.
• Direct distribution allows patients participating in clinical trials to receive treatments at home, thus increasing the treatment success rate.

The following distribution channels are included in the report:

• Direct (Larger and Faster Growing Category)
• Indirect

End User Insights

• The hospitals category is expected to grow at the highest rate, of around 7.5%, during 2024–2030 in the market, based on end user. Pain treatment practices are the most frequently performed in hospitals, particularly for post-surgical pain, where the cost of monitoring and the treatment of adverse effects creates a high demand for pain treatment drugs and devices.

End Users covered in the report include:

• Hospitals (Largest and Fastest Growing Category)
• Clinics
• Nursing Homes
• Research Centers & Universities
• Others

APAC to Witness Highest CAGR

• Geographically, APAC is expected to be the fastest-growing market, advancing at a CAGR of 7.8% during 2024–2030. This is mainly on account of the improving healthcare infrastructure, increasing per capita income, growing geriatric population, and rising prevalence of chronic pain in the region.
• According to the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN-DESA)’s World Population Ageing report, the number of geriatric people in Asia is expected to increase twofold, from 395 million in 2019 to 587 million by 2030.
• Geriatric people are highly susceptible to chronic pain conditions, such as arthritis, neuropathic disorders, and back pain, which, in turn, fuels the demand for drugs and devices to treat chronic pain.
• Further, Japan led the APAC chronic pain treatment market during the historical period, and it is expected to retain its dominance during the forecast period as well. This is primarily attributed to the increasing focus on the chronic pain arena, surging geriatric population, technological advancements, and rising prevalence of chronic diseases in the country.
• For instance, according to the World Population Ageing report, the population of people aged 65 years or over is projected to rise from 10% in 2022 and to 16% of Japan’s total population by 2050. Owing to the high adoption of chronic pain treatment products in Japan, players are focusing on attaining approvals from the national and international authorities to gain a larger share in the market.
• North America held the largest market share, of around 55%, in 2023. This dominance is due to the presence of developed healthcare infrastructure, high healthcare expenditure, and wide availability of advanced drugs and devices in the region.
• The U.S. is the larger chronic pain treatment market in North America. This is primarily due to the increasing prevalence of chronic diseases and presence of advanced healthcare infrastructure and giant players in the country. The market growth is also attributed to the rising prevalence of chronic pain and growing awareness about pain management in the country. According to the CDC, in the U.S., chronic pain is one of the most-common conditions in adults that require medical care. This condition is linked to restrictions in mobility and daily activities, dependence on opioids, anxiety, and depression.

Further, regions and countries analyzed for this report include:

• North America (Largest Regional Market)
  • U.S. (Larger and Faster-Growing Country Market)
  • Canada
• Europe
  • Germany (Largest Country Market)
  • U.K. (Fastest-Growing Country Market)
  • France
  • Italy
  • Spain
  • Rest of Europe
• Asia-Pacific (APAC) (Fastest-Growing Regional Market)
  • China
  • Japan (Largest Country Market)
  • India (Fastest-Growing Country Market)
  • South Korea
  • Australia
  • Rest of APAC
• Latin America (LATAM)
  • Brazil (Largest and Fastest-Growing Country Market)
  • Mexico
  • Rest of LATAM
• Middle East and Africa (MEA)
  • Saudi Arabia (Largest Country Market)
  • South Africa
  • U.A.E. (Fastest-Growing Country Market)
  • Rest of MEA

Market Nature - Fragmented

The market has a high degree of fragmentation, owing to many domestic and international players. The key players are mainly concentrating on the research and development for launching more-effective drugs for chronic pain management in the market. This is resulting in the rising competition among the players, in turn fueling the market growth.

Chronic Pain Treatment Companies News

• Curebase Inc., a company offering decentralized trial software and support, has announced a collaboration with a VR company, AppliedVR, in order to test the viability of using VR therapy to treat chronic pain. During the one-year partnership, AppliedVR plans to deploy Curebase Inc. platform to conduct five different trials centered on VR therapy for pain patients.
• Nevro Corp., a global medical device company that provides evidence-based solutions for the treatment of chronic pain, announced the receipt of the FDA approval of its Senza System for the treatment of chronic pain associated with painful diabetic neuropathy (PDN).
• The launch of an effective topical management cream has been announced by Parker Laboratories Inc. These products are Helix line – Tri-Active Therapy Cream, CBD Clinical Cream, and Helix CBD Therapy Cream, and they are effective in treating patients suffering from chronic pain.
• Abbott Laboratories has announced the complete acquisition of St. Jude Medical Inc., a major medical device manufacturer focused on offering products for the relief of patients with chronic pain.