This overview of selected pain topics addresses important developments in both basic research and clinical studies. Included are discourses on broad topics such as ethical issues, the impact of the digital information age on pain treatment, the key role of evidence-based methods in developing and appraising treatment approaches, pain in special populations, and the interaction of government and health-care entities in treating pain. Other chapters review recent progress in the study of pharmacological and nonpharmacological interventions, central sensitization, the role of genetics in pain perception and treatment, and epidemiological aspects of pain study. Contributors to this volume are leaders in the international pain community who strive not merely to reduce pain but also to maximize quality of life and functionality for each patient.