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- US OTC Pain Management Market Report 2022
“The majority of adult consumers experience some degree of regular pain. As life turns to the “next normal” and normal levels of activity resume, consumers are increasingly exposed to practices that increase the risk of pain instance. Following the overall shift toward preventative care, consumers are looking for solutions that not only treat existing pain symptoms but also ways to prevent pain and injury as they return to regular levels of activity. Consumers tend to select OTC pain remedies out of familiarity and habit but seek transparency and education to select the best pain management solutions that are tailored to their specific needs.”
– Dorothy Kotscha, Health Analyst
This Report looks at the following areas:
- The frequency with which US consumers experience pain and the ways in which pain affects different demographics
- A further exploration into the type of pain that consumers face and the role that post-pandemic stress and anxiety plays into pain symptoms
- Consumer interest in OTC pain management remedies and attitudes toward alternatives to traditional analgesics and topical rubs
- Consumer focus on preventative pain measures and what they expect from familiar internal and external OTC pain medicines
- Active ingredients and their nuances may confuse consumers and indicate a need for further education and transparency for consumers who are wary of long-term side effects and ingredient effectiveness
Collapse All
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Overview
- What you need to know
- This Report looks at the following areas
- Definition
- Market context
- What you need to know
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Executive Summary
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- Top takeaways
- Market overview
- Figure 1: Total US sales and fan chart forecast of OTC pain market, at current prices, 2017-27
- Figure 2: OTC pain management category outlook, 2022-27
- Opportunities
- Create pain solutions that target the aging population
- Consumers are interested in expanding beyond traditional OTC pain treatments
- Figure 3: Select pain remedy interest, 2022
- Body-tech can be leveraged to manage pain symptoms
- Figure 4: Attitudes toward pain management, wearable device interest 2022
- Challenges
- Economic uncertainty has consumers re-evaluating their discretionary spending
- Key consumer insights
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Market Size and Forecast
- OTC pain management growth remains strong despite economic conditions
- Figure 5: Total US sales and fan chart forecast of OTC pain market, at current prices, 2017-27
- Figure 6: Total US retail sales and forecast of OTC pain management products, at current prices, 2017-27
- OTC pain management growth remains strong despite economic conditions
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Segment Performance
- Internal analgesics drive OTC pain market
- Figure 7: Total US retail sales and forecast of OTC pain management products, by segment, at current prices, 2017-27
- OTC pain sales bounce back across the board
- Figure 8: Total US retail sales of OTC pain management products, by channel, at current prices, 2017-22
- Internal analgesics drive OTC pain market
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Market Factors
- Congress provides more funding for pain research
- OTC pain medication is an effective alternative to opioids to treat pain
- Aging population will require more specialized pain management solutions
- As spending slows, consumers seek value
- Figure 9: Disposable personal income change from previous period, 2010-22
- Congress provides more funding for pain research
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Market Share/Key Players
- MULO sales get a boost from strong internal analgesics demand
- Sales of OTC pain management products by company
- Figure 10: Multi-outlet sales of OTC pain management products, by leading companies, rolling 52 weeks 2021 and 2022
- Internal analgesics sales suffer from misinformation surrounding COVID-19
- Figure 11: Multi-outlet sales of internal analgesics, by leading companies and brands, rolling 52 weeks 2021 and 2022
- Topical OTC pain products get a boost as consumers resume normal activity levels
- Figure 12: Multi-outlet sales of external analgesics, by leading companies and brands, rolling 52 weeks 2021 and 2022
- Figure 13: @hempvana Instagram post, 2022
- Muscle and body support sales remain largely flat
- Figure 14: Multi-outlet sales of muscle/body support devices, by leading companies and brands, rolling 52 weeks 2021 and 2022
- MULO sales get a boost from strong internal analgesics demand
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Competitive Strategies and Market Opportunities
- New medical gel to meet the needs of patients who have trouble swallowing
- Menstrual and pelvic pain management goes digital
- Smart clothing that corrects posture to remedy back pain
- Figure 15: @everardpilatesphysio Instagram post, 2022
- New TENS device allows easy pain management at home
- New medical gel to meet the needs of patients who have trouble swallowing
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The OTC Pain Management Consumer – Fast Facts
- The majority of US adults experience pain on a regular basis
- Consumers seek proactive solutions to treat and prevent pain symptoms
- Interest grows beyond internal OTC pain management
- Consumers seek balance between active ingredients and holistic remedies
- Effectiveness and value drive OTC pain treatment purchases
- Additional education is needed for consumers to make pain management decisions
- The majority of US adults experience pain on a regular basis
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Pain Frequency
- Consumers are enduring chronic pain at least a few times a week
- Figure 16: Pain frequency, 2022
- Older Americans struggle with higher rates of pain
- Figure 17: Pain frequency, by generation, 2022
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- Figure 18: PM Nerve Relief Tablets
- Frequency of pain tied to financial situation
- Figure 19: Pain frequency, by financial situation, 2022
- Consumers are enduring chronic pain at least a few times a week
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Pinpointing Pain
- Consumers connect stress and pain to proactively treat symptoms
- Figure 20: Sources of pain, 2022
- Women seek relief from stress and menstrual pain
- Figure 21: Sources of pain, by women, 2022
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- Figure 22: Therabody Instagram post, 2021
- Younger consumers are more likely to suffer with stress-related pain
- Figure 23: Sources of pain, by generation, 2022
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- Figure 24: LDN Research Labs Penetrating Heat Rub Epsom Salt Plus Alcohol
- Consumers with higher BMI are most likely to deal with arthritis pain
- Figure 25: Sources of pain, by BMI, 2022
- Consumers connect stress and pain to proactively treat symptoms
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Pain Remedy Interest
- Consumer interest in expanding beyond internal pain medicine increases
- Figure 26: Pain remedy interest, 2022
- Gen X interest focuses on topical and external pain solutions
- Figure 27: Select pain remedy interest, Generation X, 2022
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- Figure 28: @thegoodpatch Instagram Post, 2022
- Consumer interest in expanding beyond internal pain medicine increases
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Attitudes Toward Pain Management
- Consumers seek pain relief beyond the familiar
- Figure 29: Attitudes toward pain management, 2022
- Younger consumers seek natural remedies to mitigate pain symptoms
- Figure 30: Attitudes toward pain management, by generation, 2022
- Consumers seek pain relief beyond the familiar
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Purchasing Factors
- Effectiveness and length of relief are top-of-mind when selecting pain remedies
- Figure 31: Purchasing factors, 2022
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- Figure 32: Icy Hot Pain Relief Cream
- Gen Z consumers are more price conscious
- Figure 33: Purchasing factors, Generation Z, 2022
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- Figure 34: My_Nooci Instagram post, 2022
- Asian consumers seek effective natural remedies that provide value
- Figure 35: Purchasing factors, by race and Hispanic origin, 2022
- Effectiveness and length of relief are top-of-mind when selecting pain remedies
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Ingredient Factors
- Consumers trust internal solutions, especially acetaminophen to ease pain
- Figure 36: Ingredient factors, 2022
- Interest in topical pain relief increases as consumers seek targeted relief
- Figure 37: Ingredient factors, external OTC pain remedies, 2022
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- Figure 38: The Feel Good Lab Instagram Post, 2021
- Gen Z may need better education about OTC pain remedies
- Figure 39: Ingredient factors, Generation Z, 2022
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- Figure 40: Midol Heat Vibes patches
- Black consumers are skeptical of safety and effectiveness of internal OTC pain medicines
- Figure 41: Internal OTC pain remedy ingredient factors, by race and Hispanic origin, 2022
- Asian consumers seek the familiarity of topical herbal products
- Figure 42: External OTC pain remedy ingredient factors, by race and Hispanic origin, 2022
- Consumers trust internal solutions, especially acetaminophen to ease pain
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Appendix – Data Sources and Abbreviations
- Data sources
- Sales data
- Forecast
- Consumer survey data
- Standard general market methodology
- Consumer qualitative research
- Abbreviations and terms
- Abbreviations
- Data sources
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Appendix – The Market
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- Figure 43: Total US retail sales and forecast of OTC pain management products, at inflation-adjusted prices, 2017-27
- Figure 44: Average annual household spending on OTC pain management products, 2017-22
- Figure 45: Total US retail sales and forecast of OTC pain management products, by segment, at current prices, 2017-27
- Figure 46: Total US retail sales of OTC pain management products, by segment, at current prices, 2020 and 2022
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- Figure 47: Total US retail sales and forecast of internal analgesics, at current prices, 2017-27
- Figure 48: Total US retail sales and forecast of internal analgesics, at inflation-adjusted prices, 2017-27
- Figure 49: Growth of multi-outlet dollar sales and volume sales of internal analgesics, 2017-21
- Figure 50: Total US retail sales and forecast of external analgesics, at current prices, 2017-27
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- Figure 51: Total US retail sales and forecast of external analgesics, at inflation-adjusted prices, 2017-27
- Figure 52: Growth of multi-outlet dollar sales and volume sales of external analgesics, 2017-21
- Figure 53: Total US retail sales and forecast of muscle/body support devices, at current prices, 2017-27
- Figure 54: Total US retail sales and forecast of muscle/body support devices, at inflation-adjusted prices, 2017-27
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- Figure 55: Growth of multi-outlet dollar sales and volume sales of muscle/body support devices, 2017-21
- Figure 56: Total US retail sales of OTC pain management products, by channel, at current prices, 2020 and 2022
- Figure 57: US supermarket sales of OTC pain management products, at current prices, 2017-22
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- Figure 58: US drugstore sales of OTC pain management products, at current prices, 2017-22
- Figure 59: US sales of OTC pain management products through other retail channels, at current prices, 2017-22
- Figure 60: Multi-outlet sales of electrotherapy devices, by leading companies and brands, rolling 52 weeks 2021 and 2022
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