I just read an article on NPR about a chronic pain researcher who is experimenting with an entirely new approach to treating chronic pain. She has chronic pain herself and is also telling doctors they need to listen to their pain patients to better understand the real deep pains they experience. I have copied her article link here:
https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2018/09/05/636860122/inspired-by-her-own-pain-a-researcher-explores-alternatives-to-opioid-treatments
Let's hope a solution is on the future horizon.