CDC National Center for Injury Prevention and Control
Giving providers the tools they need to treat acute pain.

For too many, opioid addiction begins with an opioid prescription. And many of those prescriptions start with an acute pain diagnosis.

The CDC wanted to give providers the tools to curb addiction through guidelines on the prescription of opioids for acute pain treatment. Something that would serve as an easy-to-reference source of treatment and prescription information.

To address this need, we worked with the CDC to create a web-based resource that lived separate from their existing website. Built on a custom CMS and designed as a standalone solution, the webpage uses data visualization, video, and custom illustration to succinctly and authoritatively give providers the answers they need when prescribing relief for acute pain.

Illustration of a pharmaceutical prescription with a pill on it.
Illustrations of pill bottles, a hand in a cast, a light bulb, and a pill bottle with "37 MME" on it.

Medical references can be dense, so we used infographics and illustrations to provide relief and guide providers to the information they needed.

A web browser window showing the Acute Low Back Pain page and another showing an acute pain video.
Illustrations of a people with ankle pain, a toothache, and lower back pain.

The illustrations and overall aesthetic walked the line between academic and engaging. The style was borrowed for additional CDC communications due to its effectiveness.

Videos were created using the same illustration style to provide another seamless touchpoint for visitors on their journey for information.

Acute pain fact sheets about post-surgical pain and resources for providers.