# Pain Buddy

> App for children and teens to track cancer pain and symptoms for better treatment. (iPhone/iPad app by University of California, Irvine.)

- Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pain-buddy/id6443803356 (this page in markdown: same URL + `.md`)
- Developer: [University of California, Irvine](https://appshunter.io/developer/643200027)
- Category: Health & Fitness
- Price: Free
- Rating: 5.00/5 from 1 App Store ratings · 1 written reviews indexed
- Age rating: 4+
- Requires: iOS 13.0 · 337 MB
- Languages: English
- Released: 2023-06-01
- Data updated: 2026-06-11
- Monetization: free
- User reviews in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pain-buddy/id6443803356/reviews.md

## What is Pain Buddy?

Pain Buddy is a smartphone app designed by researchers at the University of California, Irvine to assist children and teens with cancer related pain and symptoms. Users will interact their Pain Buddy to document pain, symptoms, and things they do to manage their symptoms. Findings will help doctors, nurses, and parents get the information they need to give children treatments for pain and symptom management that work. 

Users can switch between 3 Pain Buddy avatars: Croco, Pug, and Koala. In addition to documenting pain and symptoms, users can earn virtual coins for each diary completion. Coins can be used within the app to unlock and play games and purchase clothes and accessories from the in-app store.

Participants will be randomly placed into the Control Group or the Pain Buddy group. Both groups will have access to the Pain Buddy app, which includes daily diaries, games, and avatar care, such as grooming and accessorizing. The Pain Buddy group includes 2 additional features that are not included in the control group: Remote monitoring by a healthcare provider, and cognitive behavioral skills (CBT) training. 

Pain Buddy was specially designed with a system created by oncology nurses and doctors to let us know if the symptoms reported in the diaries would be something the healthcare team thinks might benefit from clinical guidance. Pain Buddy is not meant to give medical advice or designed to replace a nurse or doctor.  For medical emergencies, please dial 911.

## Key features

- Pain and symptom documentation
- Interactive avatars (Croco, Pug, Koala)
- Virtual coin rewards
- In-app games and avatar customization
- Symptom reporting for healthcare guidance
- Cognitive behavioral skills training (in select groups)

## Recent user reviews (1 of 1)

All indexed reviews: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pain-buddy/id6443803356/reviews.md

### 1/5 — pain buddy

*2025-12-21*

i am currently going through a breakup and i open the app to see all 3 of them dancing with silly audio. this made me have a panic attack because my boyfriend used to do this same dance.

## Frequently asked questions about Pain Buddy

### What is Pain Buddy?

Pain Buddy is a smartphone application developed by researchers at the University of California, Irvine. It is designed to help children and teens document their cancer-related pain and symptoms, providing valuable information to healthcare providers for better treatment.

### Who is Pain Buddy for?

Pain Buddy is specifically designed for children and teens who are dealing with cancer-related pain and symptoms. It also serves as a tool for their doctors, nurses, and parents to monitor and manage these issues.

### Does Pain Buddy provide medical advice?

No, Pain Buddy is not intended to provide medical advice. It is a tool for documenting symptoms and aiding healthcare professionals, but it does not replace the expertise of a nurse or doctor. For medical emergencies, users should contact 911.

### What devices does Pain Buddy support?

Pain Buddy is available on iPhone, iPad, and iPod devices. It was released on June 1, 2023, and its latest version is 1.4, last updated on March 27, 2025.

### How does Pain Buddy engage young users?

Pain Buddy uses gamification to keep young users engaged. They can earn virtual coins by completing diaries, which can be used to unlock games and purchase clothes and accessories for their avatars.

### What are the different Pain Buddy avatars?

Users can choose from three different Pain Buddy avatars: Croco, Pug, and Koala. These avatars add a personalized and interactive element to the app experience.

### Is Pain Buddy free to use?

Yes, Pain Buddy is available for free. The app does not have any in-app purchases or advertisements, making it fully accessible to its target audience.

### What is the age rating for Pain Buddy?

Pain Buddy has an age rating of 4+. This indicates that the app is suitable for children aged four and older, with content designed to be appropriate for this age group.

## Version history (last 5 releases)

### 1.4 — 2025-03-27

Fix server endpoints

### 1.3 — 2025-03-06

Migrated to new server and changed endpoint for database connection.

### 1.2 — 2023-08-03

-reworked diaries
-migrate to different server

### 1.1 — 2023-06-01

changes in how diaries are registered per day

### 1.0 — 2023-06-01

No release notes.

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All apps by University of California, Irvine: https://appshunter.io/developer/643200027

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*Data collected daily from the US App Store and indexed by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/). User reviews are verbatim App Store reviews. Ratings, prices and chart positions refresh continuously; this snapshot is from 2026-06-11.*