Chronic Pain »
Introduction: The Universal Disorder
You know it at once. It may be the
fiery sensation of a burn moments after your finger touches the stove. Or it's a
dull ache above your brow after a day of stress and tension. Or you may
recognize it as a sharp pierce in your back after you lift something heavy.
It is pain. In its most benign form, it warns us that
something isn't quite right, that we should take medicine or see a doctor. At its worst, however, pain
robs us of our productivity, our well-being, and, for many of us suffering from
extended illness, our very lives. Pain is a complex perception that differs
enormously among individual patients, even those who appear to have identical
injuries or illnesses.
In 1931, the French medical missionary Dr. Albert
Schweitzer wrote, "Pain is a more terrible lord of mankind than even death
itself." Today, pain has become the universal disorder, a serious and costly
public health issue, and a challenge...
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