Background Opioids are the most commonly used drugs for the treatment of perioperative analgesia and chronic pain, but can be a double-edged sword due to the paradoxical phenomenon called opioid-induced hyperalgesia(OIH),which is an increased sensitivity to pain caused by opioid exposure. Objective This review on OIH research to date would offer a more precise picture of OIH and make more reasonable use of opioids in clinical therapy. Content This review is to illustrate the classification, diagnose, mechanisms and management of OIH .Trend So far, many aspects about OIH are not entirely clear ,such as diagnose, mechanisms and management. To better appreciate the significance of OIH and make better guidelines for opioid administration, more attention and further researches are needed.