Much research has been undertaken in the field of pain in an attempt to find an effective treatment. Insights into the underlying mechanisms of pain have been gained from studies using preclinical animal models (acute stimuli, post-tissue injury and peripheral nerve injury) and evaluating their similarity with the human condition. In this article, these pain models are summarized and the mechanisms of pain discussed in relation to spinal processing. In the context of this research the therapeutic potential of novel analgesics is highlighted as the future looks forward to the many possibilities that the targeted spinal delivery of drugs can bring.