Concept of Human Pain

Paper Summary:

This paper begins by providing an introduction to the concept. It then analyzes and reviews the sources of recent literature available on the subject. The writer follows by examining various definitions of pain and the mechanics of pain. It then looks at clinical/empirical examples of pain and the consequences of pain.

From the Paper:

"Since the beginning of the 20th century, medical advances in the understanding of human pain as it relates to health have far exceeded the expectations of even the most optimistic clinician or physician. Yet despite all of the advances in the diagnosis and treatment of pain, new medical challenges continue to rise, especially in such diseases as AIDS/HIV and related viral/bacterial infections throughout the world. In addition, pain is now associated with diseases that are brought about by personal choice, such as drug and alcohol abuse, dietary habits, and the stress and anxieties related to work habits and contemporary lifestyles. As Ronald Melzack points out, "the very technology which has done so much to prolong life has brought with it previously unimaginable ethical and medical dilemmas related to pain and pain management" (1983, 34). Furthermore, the rising cost of health care in the United States, due mostly to an aging population, has become a central concern to all those involved in pain diagnosis and prevention."

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