Pain usually occurs as a result of tissue damage and has a role in healing and protection. However, in certain conditions it has no functional purpose and can become chronic and debilitating. A demand for more effective treatments to deal with this highly prevalent problem requires a better understanding of the underlying mechanisms. TRP channels are associated with numerous sensory functions across a wide range of species. Investigation into the expression patterns, electrophysiological properties and the effects of channel deletion in transgenic animal models have produced a great deal of evidence linking these channels to transduction of noxious stimuli as well as signalling within the pain system.