Pain – a common healthcare problem
Pain is one of the most common healthcare problems worldwide:
- Acute pain is a brief and self-limiting process, associated with disease or injury, which represents a major problem after surgery and trauma.
- Chronic pain is a long-term persistent condition which may not be connected to its original cause and may have different aetiologies.
One in five adults may be afflicted by chronic or recurring pain that impairs their everyday activities, social functioning and quality of life. In addition to individual suffering, it has a great economic impact.
According to ISAP and EFIC *, the control of pain has been neglected in the past, despite the fact that cost-effective treatment is available. Chronic pain should be recognised as an independent disease, an important health concern and the relief of pain should be a fundamental human right.
*International Association for the Study of Pain (IASP) and European Federation of IASP Chapters (EFIC), fact sheet 1 (2004).
Neglected and frustrating to treat
Pain therapy has been neglected in the western hemisphere for a long time. Sufferers from chronic pain are often regarded as difficult and frustrating to treat. Furthermore time is limited, economic resources are scarce and the necessary professional knowledge is not universally available.
In addition, patients who are physically and psychologically weakened by their condition generally do not demand their rights. Poor communication between physicians, patients and relatives frequently compounds the situation and leads to downplaying the symptoms.
A difference in perception of the pain between the sufferer and attending clinician brings frustration, a loss of confidence and withdrawal by both parties. The lack of compliance and switching from doctor to doctor are the main reasons for unsatisfactory pain management.
Increasing influence of patients
The quality of pain management is becoming more and more a topic for public discussion. Today, the role of patients and their families in determining treatment is greater than ever.
One of the central tasks of patient-orientated medicine is a complete new assessment of pain management. The pressure of public opinion and the immense economic impact will ensure that providing effective pain relief is a decisive advantage in healthcare systems which are becoming increasingly competitive.
Successful care and treatment of patients with chronic pain demands an interdisciplinary, multimodal approach. In response, Grünenthal has founded the European P.A.I.N. Initiative.
