International Journal of Pain Management invites high quality submissions that advance pain medicine, pain science, and multidisciplinary care. We welcome original research, systematic reviews, and methodological advances that improve diagnosis, management, and outcomes across acute and chronic pain conditions.

Our editorial focus prioritizes rigorous study design, transparent reporting, and translational relevance for clinical care and population health.

• Neuropathic, nociceptive, and mixed pain syndromes
• Chronic low back pain and musculoskeletal disorders
• Postoperative and perioperative pain management
• Cancer pain and palliative care strategies
• Interventional pain procedures and neuromodulation
• Opioid stewardship, tapering, and safety monitoring
• Non-pharmacologic therapies and rehabilitation outcomes
• Psychological and behavioral approaches to pain
• Pediatric and geriatric pain assessment
• Digital health, wearables, and remote pain monitoring
• Translational therapeutics and precision analgesia
• Public health approaches to pain prevention

• Clinical trial reports and interim analyses
• Short communications with high impact findings
• Case series with rigorous diagnostic criteria
• Practice or policy briefs grounded in evidence

Successful submissions present a clear clinical question, robust methodology, and transparent reporting of diagnostic and staging criteria. We value studies that connect mechanistic insights to patient outcomes or measurable clinical impact.

Authors should document cohort characteristics, pain assessments, intervention protocols, and outcome definitions to support reproducibility and translation.

• Clear inclusion and exclusion criteria with pain staging
• Validated pain scales, biomarkers, or imaging parameters
• Appropriate statistical analysis and handling of confounders
• Interpretation that links findings to clinical decision making

Submissions undergo editorial screening for scope fit, methodological rigor, and reporting completeness. Qualified manuscripts move to single blind peer review with subject matter experts.

IJP operates under an open access model to ensure pain management research is discoverable and reusable. APCs are applied after acceptance and support peer review, production, and archiving services.

Membership options and affordable APC waivers are available for eligible authors. Contact the editorial office at [email protected] for guidance.

• Scope fit confirmed for pain medicine submissions
• Diagnostic and staging criteria documented
• Data availability statement included
• Ethics approvals and consent described
• Cover letter explains novelty and clinical relevance
• Report diagnostic criteria and ICD coding for pain conditions studied.
• Provide pain intensity measures (VAS, NRS, McGill) with scoring interpretation.
• Define acute versus chronic pain duration and onset clearly.
• Describe analgesic regimens, dosing schedules, and tapering protocols.
• Report opioid exposure using morphine milligram equivalents when applicable.
• Clarify neuropathic pain assessment tools and sensory testing methods.
• Describe interventional procedures with technique details and imaging guidance.
• Include multimodal pain management strategies and care pathways.
• Report functional outcomes, disability scores, and quality of life measures.
• Document comorbidities such as anxiety, depression, or sleep disruption.
• Define adverse events, safety monitoring, and clinical endpoints clearly.
• Describe handling of missing data, confounders, and subgroup analyses.
• Provide data availability statements and access conditions for sensitive datasets.
• Document ethics approvals, informed consent, and patient privacy safeguards.
• Report baseline pain duration, location, and previous treatment history.
• Include model validation metrics and calibration details for predictive studies.
• State whether imaging, EMG, or diagnostic blocks were used and why.
• Describe non-pharmacologic interventions such as PT, CBT, or mindfulness.
• Provide baseline demographic tables with comedications and risk factors.
• Include biomarkers or inflammatory markers when relevant.
• Clarify anesthesia or sedation protocols for procedural pain studies.
• Report imaging reader blinding, inter-rater reliability, or adjudication procedures.
• Describe quality control for laboratory assays and external proficiency testing.
• Include definitions for treatment response, remission, or relapse outcomes.
• Provide statistical power calculations or justification for sample size.
• Report secondary endpoints and exploratory analyses separately.
• Describe patient reported outcome measures and validation sources.
• State regulatory or trial registration identifiers when applicable.
• Provide statements on data sharing, reuse, and repository access.
• Explain limitations and generalizability for clinical implementation.
• Specify sample handling, storage temperatures, and processing timelines for biospecimens.
• Report comorbidity indices and medication interactions that may affect outcomes.
• Describe criteria for treatment response or nonresponse classifications.
• Include protocol for assessment repeatability and inter-rater variation.
• Explain adjustments for confounders such as age, sex, or socioeconomic factors.
• Provide patient flow diagrams and attrition details for each study stage.
• Include imaging or procedural scoring systems and threshold definitions used.
• Report hospitalization, emergency visits, or readmission outcomes when applicable.
• Clarify rationale for inclusion of control or comparator groups.
• Describe patient monitoring intervals and follow up adherence strategies.
• Explain criteria for noninvasive pain assessment and cutoff values.
• Provide details on procedure timing, positioning, and safety monitoring.
• Report surveillance intervals for high risk pain patients when relevant.
• Describe nutritional, sleep, and activity assessments when applicable.
• Include patient education or adherence interventions used in the study.
• Clarify definitions for acute flare versus persistent pain episodes.
• Describe criteria for functional improvement endpoints when measured.

IJP is committed to rigorous, transparent publishing in pain medicine and multidisciplinary care. We emphasize reproducible clinical methods, clear reporting of diagnostic criteria, and ethical compliance across all article types.

The editorial office supports authors, editors, and reviewers with clear guidance and responsive communication. For questions about scope or workflow, contact [email protected].

We encourage continuous improvement in reporting practices and share updates that help the community maintain high standards in pain management research and clinical practice.