What’s pain all about? Why does it happen and how does it becomes chronic? Why is pain so difficult to diagnose and treat? Do women have more pain disorders than men?
The National Institutes of Health addresses all these questions in Pain: Hope Through Research. The detailed document summarizes the findings of a wide range of studies and explains some current research into potentially novel approaches to treat pain.
Basically it’s a pain primer that everyone who struggles with chronic pain and their caregivers should read. Here’s a partial table of contents:
- A Brief History of Pain
- The Two Faces of Pain: Acute and Chronic
- The A to Z of Pain
- How is Pain Diagnosed?
- How is Pain Treated?
- What is the Role of Age and Gender in Pain?
- Gender and Pain
- Pain in Aging and Pediatric Populations: Special Needs and Concerns
- A Pain Primer: What Do We Know About Pain?
- What is the Future of Pain Research?
An appendix addresses some potential pain treatments, including chili peppers, marijuana and nerve blocks.