Their work sheds light on how to reduce chronic and acute pain associated with a range of diseases, trauma and their treatments.
The Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine has been awarded 112 times since 1901. Last year's prize went to Americans Harvey Alter, Charles Rice, and Briton Michael Houghton for work identifying the Hepatitis C virus, which causes cirrhosis and liver cancer.
Canadian scientist Frederick Banting, who received the Nobel Prize at age 32 in 1932 remains the youngest Nobel laureate for Physiology or Medicine.