Burn injury is a major clinical challenge. The causes of burns are vast and diverse, as are the sites of injury. Yet,the overwhelmingly majority of burn victims experience intense spontaneous pain and persistent allodynia, oftenyears after their injury. Opioids are the standard of care for post-burn pain management, but over half of burnvictims report inadequate relief, thereby increasing the risk for prolonged, and even irreversible, disability. Inaddition, opioids clearly exert dangerous side effects that include cognitive dysfunction, respiratory depression,tolerance, and dependence.
