When Pain Science Caught Up

Pain is universal, but the science of how we treat it has been shaped by those who were forced to innovate in the face of exclusion. This Black History Month 2026, we honor the Black healers, physicians, and researchers who didn’t just join the medical field—they revolutionized it. From ancestral indigenous practices with plant medicines to modern trauma-informed care, the foundation of how we understand pain today is rooted in the contributions of Black Medicine.

Pain Care Born in Community: The First Integrated Medicine

For much of U.S. history, systemic exclusion meant Black communities had to develop their own specialized pain management. Long before modern neuroscience coined the term “nervous-system regulation,” Black midwives and community healers were practicing it.

They understood that pain is amplified by fear and isolation. By using plant medicines, warmth, and “laying of hands,” they created an environment of safety and healing. We now know that when the nervous system feels safe, the brain reduces pain signaling. These healers weren’t just providing comfort; they were practicing early biopsychosocial medicine.

Today’s leading pain programs follow the biopsychosocial model, recognizing that pain is influenced not only by injury and inflammation but also by the nervous system, emotions, stress, and social connection.

This framework closely mirrors Black healing traditions:

• Breathing and calming practices that regulate stress responses
• Movement and physical effort to restore function
• Touch, warmth, and reassurance to signal safety
• Family and community involvement as part of healing
• Plant-based and integrative remedies for inflammation and discomfort

Modern treatments—breathing techniques, physical therapy, biofeedback, psychological therapies, and family-based care—are not separate from medicine. They are scientifically validated extensions of healing traditions that Black communities preserved when formal care was unavailable or unsafe. In many ways, modern pain science has caught up to what Black healers already knew.

The Correctors: Physicians Who Dismantled Myths

Black physicians used scientific rigor to dismantle dangerous medical myths that still impact patients today.

Transforming Crisis into Care: The Sickle Cell Legacy

One of the most profound shifts in pain medicine came from Black clinicians advocating for patients diagnosed with Sickle Cell Disease (SCD). Previously dismissed or misunderstood, these pioneers proved that SCD pain crises are:

1. Biological Emergencies: Requiring rapid, high-level intervention.
2. Neurological Events: Capable of “sensitizing” the nervous system, leading to chronic pain.

Because of this important work, today we have emergency protocols that now prioritize “rapid-access” pain relief, ensuring that patient reports of pain are treated as objective medical facts.

A Living Legacy

Modern pain science hasn’t just evolved; it has “caught up” to what Black healers and physicians have known for centuries: healing requires the whole person. Whether it’s through breathing techniques, exercises taught in physical therapy, or the rapid administration of analgesics in an ER, the influence of Black medicine is present in every act of compassionate care. This month, we don’t just look back at what Black medicine endured—we look at the high standard of care it built for everyone.

Advocacy: A Toolkit for Families

While the legacy is strong, disparities in pediatric pain management persist. Families can honor this history by being their child’s fiercest advocate using these modern tools:

Standardize the Assessment: Use the Wong-Baker FACES Scale during appointments to provide a visual, objective score that reduces the chance of provider bias.

Shared Decision-Making: Requesting opportunities for shared medical decision-making can help ensure a child’s needs are being met. For example, use the phrase: “Can we walk through all the options, both medicinal and integrative care, to ensure my child has optimal pain reduction?”

The “Second Voice”: Today, many hospitals offer Patient Advocates. If you feel your child’s pain is being downplayed or undertreated, ask to speak with a Patient Liaison or a Child Life Specialist immediately.

Document the Narrative: Keep a “Pain Diary” that tracks sleep, mood, and activity levels. Hard data is a powerful tool against implicit bias.

Pain is universal. And the science we use to treat it was built by Black healers, physicians, and researchers. Every time a provider treats the whole child, not just the symptom, that legacy is alive in the room.

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