Prospects of neuromodulation for chronic pain

•Main directions of progress in neuromodulation for pain: development of devices with miniaturization, "smart" stimulation, closed loop stimulation; novel stimulation parameters; novel neuromodulation paradigms.•Neuromodulation remains one of the frontiers of neuroscience, and with rapid progress in neuromodulation for pain over the last several decades, we are now looking at new horizons, fresh opportunities and better prospects.•The complexity of pain supports an emphasis on multidisciplinary approach (clinicians and neuroscientists) in development of future pain treatment paradigms. For over half a century neuromodulation has been successfully used for treatment of chronic pain syndromes. There is a growing number of new modes or targets of neurostimulation, a widening of indications and continuous improvement in existing approaches and steady reduction in complications. Nowadays the field of neuromodulation is progressively evolving showing significant advancement in therapeutic efficacy. This review focuses on the current state and the future development of the art of neuromodulation in treatment of chronic pain. The field of neuromodulation continues to evolve with improvement in clinical outcomes for chronic pain patients. The new advances in neuromodulation along with new discoveries in neurosciences are expected to translate into better results in terms of both efficacy and safety.