Last reviewed: May 12, 2026 Last updated: May 12, 2026

Written by: Jay Hastings , CEO of PlexusDx

Jay Hastings is the CEO of PlexusDx, a precision health company focused on genetic testing, blood biomarker insights, and personalized wellness recommendations. He has more than 20 years of experience across healthcare innovation, genomics, laboratory operations, healthcare investing, and strategic finance. His work has included scaling healthcare startups, leading CLIA lab integrations, and helping expand consumer access to precision health tools.

Medically reviewed by: Jayden Lee, PharmD, EMBA

Jayden Lee, PharmD, EMBA, is the PlexusDx Medical Science Liaison with a PharmD and MBA specializing in pharmacogenomics and clinical product development, with a proven ability to bridge the gap between genomic research and practical patient outcomes. Dr. Lee has more than 10 years of professional experience in clinical pharmacy, academia, and research.

Chronic Pain: The Genetic Basis of Pain Perception

Imagine a traveling salesman during the 1930s standing on a box and captivating a curious crowd while he holds a chili pepper. "Hot peppers for your chronic pain relief!" he exclaims. While applying peppers to the skin may sound humorous people should know that its effectiveness in pain relief holds some truth. Pepper-derived capsaicin functions as a pain reliever through its ability to block nerve cells that detect pain on the skin's surface. However, the concentration matters. The highest strength topical cream contains 0.1% capsaicin which makes it 33 times stronger than a jalapeño pepper with its 0.03 mg/g of capsaicin content. The Carolina Reaper pepper possesses heat levels equivalent to those found in prescription capsaicin patches used solely in medical environments. Genetic factors contribute to how people experience capsaicin because certain individuals carry gene variants which increase their sensitivity to it. Chronic pain affects approximately 20% of Americans and creates significant healthcare expenses as well as productivity reductions. The condition emerges through multiple types which affect both daily routines and mental health. Chronic pain perception and management vary among people because of genetic influences which reveal the complex relationship between genetic factors and pain responses.

Understanding Chronic Pain

Chronic pain represents a complex condition which develops and requires management through genetic predispositions. People who have genetic susceptibility to chronic pain should be aware of other risk factors including age, gender, socioeconomic background, prior injuries, and mental health conditions. Investigating chronic pain genetics enables people to understand their specific disease risk and obtain customized advice based on their genetic profile. The sensation of pain functions as the body's warning system for health problems beneath the surface. The distinction between acute and chronic pain is necessary because their duration and underlying causes vary. Acute pain emerges directly following tissue damage and diminishes during the healing process with a duration that can extend to six months. Chronic pain extends beyond six months without clear origins but leads to afflictions such as lower back pain and nerve pain along with headaches and widespread pain.

Managing Chronic Pain

Treating chronic pain presents many significant challenges because it manifests subjectively across various presentations. Different pain experiences and expressions among people create diagnostic challenges. The root cause of chronic pain remains difficult to identify which requires a full evaluation to eliminate possible underlying conditions. Although NSAIDs and opioids provide pain relief for some people, the potential for addiction and abuse from long-term opioid use drives many individuals to seek alternative methods like acupuncture, massage, and yoga. Genetic elements tightly bind with pain perception mechanisms which impact brain chemistry as well as nerve and stress responses. Chronic pain-related genes influence neurotransmitter systems while also affecting the mechanisms of stress regulation and brain cell operation which demonstrates the complex genetic basis of pain experiences. Individuals who understand their genetic predisposition to chronic pain gain the ability to make informed choices regarding their pain management and lifestyle habits.

The Precision Health & Wellness tests from PlexusDx

The Precision Health & Wellness tests available through PlexusDx provide insights into genetic predispositions to chronic pain enabling personalized recommendations for improved health management.

Frequently Asked Questions

How does capsaicin from chili peppers relieve pain?

The post says capsaicin acts on the nerve cells that detect pain at the skin's surface, which is the basis for topical capsaicin creams. It contrasts everyday peppers with medical preparations, noting that the highest-strength topical cream contains 0.1% capsaicin, which it calls 33 times stronger than a jalapeno. It adds that some gene variants increase sensitivity to capsaicin.

How is chronic pain defined differently from acute pain?

Acute pain emerges directly following tissue damage and diminishes during healing, with a duration the post says can extend to six months. Chronic pain extends beyond six months, often without a clear origin, and shows up as lower back pain, nerve pain, headaches and widespread pain. The post reports that chronic pain affects approximately 20% of Americans.

Why is chronic pain so difficult to diagnose and treat?

Because it is subjective and appears in many different presentations, the post says: different people experience and express pain differently, which creates diagnostic challenges. The root cause is often hard to identify, requiring a full evaluation to eliminate possible underlying conditions. That difficulty is part of why the post describes management as necessarily individualized.

Which non-drug approaches to chronic pain does the post mention?

Acupuncture, massage and yoga are the alternatives it names. The post raises them because, while NSAIDs and opioids relieve pain for some people, the potential for addiction and abuse with long-term opioid use drives many individuals to look elsewhere. Any change to an existing pain treatment plan should be discussed with the prescribing clinician first.

Which biological systems does the post link to inherited differences in pain?

It says genes associated with chronic pain influence neurotransmitter systems while also affecting stress regulation mechanisms and brain cell operation, which together shape brain chemistry, nerve responses and stress responses. No specific gene is named. The post also lists age, gender, socioeconomic background, prior injuries and mental health conditions as non-genetic risk factors.

Medical and Editorial Standards

Medical review process: This article was reviewed for medical accuracy, scientific clarity, evidence alignment, and appropriate discussion of genetics, medications, supplements, biomarkers, and health-related claims.

Sources and evidence: PlexusDx educational content is developed using peer-reviewed research, clinical literature, reputable medical references, and, where applicable, public health or regulatory guidance. References are included at the end of the article when scientific, medical, or health-related claims are discussed.

Commercial transparency: PlexusDx offers genetic testing, blood biomarker testing, personalized supplement recommendations, and related precision wellness services. Product mentions are intended to help readers understand available options and should not be interpreted as medical advice.

Important disclaimer: PlexusDx educational content is for informational purposes only and should not be used as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider before making decisions about medications, supplements, genetic testing, lab testing, or health-related care.