In the U.S. alone in 2014, over 14 thousand people died from overdoses involving prescription opioids, according to the CDC. A national survey that year reported that almost 2 million Americans were abusing or physically dependent on prescription opioids. A thousand Americans go to the emergency room every day for misusing these drugs.

So how can we solve the problem of pain in a way that doesn't create a host of new problems on its own?

In this episode we look at the future of pain management - everything from using spider toxins to growing new neurons from a patient's tissue using stem cell technologies, and because pain changes our brain's connections and chemistry, we also discuss the biggest player in the way we experience pain: The Mind.

If science gave you the chance, would you sign up for a procedure that made pain emotionally neutral information? Or do you think that without the distress, you wouldn't seek treatment for the pain's cause?

Let us know in the comments below!

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