Pack your loupes, your lidocaine, and maybe your poker face—PAINWeek 2025 is headed to The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas from September 2–5, and the agenda is stacked with innovations, provocations, and maybe even a few revelations about pain management that could shift the way you think about post-op recovery, chronic pain, and everything in between.
This Year’s Theme?
“Redefining the Future of Pain Medicine: Integrating Innovation, Resilience, and Care.” Translation: Whether you’re still battling the opioid dilemma, exploring non-opioid options, or simply trying to help patients walk upright without wincing, PAINWeek is here to throw you a lifeline—and maybe a complimentary espresso shot.
Keynotes to Kickstart Your Cortex
Opening the show is Dr. Rohit Shah, who’ll deliver “12 Healthcare Truths (A Medical Director’s Perception).” Expect a healthy dose of candor from the Chair of Medicine at University Hospitals Elyria Medical Center in Ohio.
Closing it down is Dr. Vanila M. Singh, former Chief Medical Officer at Health and Human Services (HHS) and current clinical professor at Stanford, with a visionary take titled “Pain – The Greater Perspective and the Next Frontier.” Translation: She’s looking past today’s injections and implants toward what pain medicine might look like in 2035—and it’s likely got fewer side effects.
21 CME/CE Credits and Zero Boredom
With the potential to earn up to 21 CME/CE credits, the real gamble would be not attending. Highlights from the agenda include a full spectrum of topics that could resonate with any orthopedic surgeon dealing with post-op pain, complex comorbidities, or frustrated patients with fibromyalgia.
🚨 Must-See Sessions for the Ortho-Inclined
📅 Tuesday, September 2
- “Block the Shock” – Suzetrigine enters the chat as a non-opioid option. Intrigued? You should be.
- “Pain for the (Geriatric) Ages” – Because patients are living longer, and so is their back pain.
📅 Wednesday, September 3
- “Neurogenic Inflammation and Long COVID” – What does viral aftermath mean for nerve sensitivity?
- “Where Do We Go From Here?” – Dr. Peter Staats explores the role of interventionalists in guiding chronic pain patients. (Hint: probably includes you.)
📅 Thursday, September 4
- “Can Chronic Pain Be Unlearned?” – Neuroscience meets mindfulness in a talk on nociplastic pain and predictive processing.
- “Migraine Injection Workshop” – Live injections and live-action learning? Sign us up.
📅 Friday, September 5
- “Analgesics of the Future” – Dr. Jeffrey Gudin takes you on a journey beyond lidocaine and tramadol.
- “Negotiating and Saving” – Because your clinic deserves a pain-free bottom line, too.
Beyond the Lectern
Between sessions, you’ll find networking opportunities, poster presentations, industry exhibits, and (yes) more acronyms than a billing department’s spreadsheet. PAINWeek’s 2025 partners include the American Chronic Pain Association, NRAP Academy, and Postgraduate Medicine, among others—so you know you’re mingling with the who’s who of the pain game.
Who Should Go?
If you’re an orthopedic surgeon who’s:
- Wondering how to manage chronic post-op pain without defaulting to opioids,
- Curious about nociplastic pain and the future of diagnostics,
- Interested in navigating policy shifts and payer pressures with finesse,
- Or just want to master the science of sleep, serotonin, and sympathetic dysfunction…
This is your meeting.
Final Thoughts (and a Slot Machine Metaphor)
Pain is complex. So is modern pain management. But heading to Las Vegas for PAINWeek 2025 might just be the smartest bet you’ll place this year.
Register here: conference.painweek.org
And remember: What happens in Vegas… might actually help your patients back home.