Needless worry about addiction causes clinicians and patients to avoid strong painkillers. Next, government drug control regulations have made clinicians afraid to use strong medications. Finally, pain management has not been a priority of our health care system. Gradually, these barriers are being eliminated through education. The adequate management of pain should be a goal and an expectation in almost all cases.
Acute pain can occur in response to infection, inflammation or trauma.
Pain is only part of the response that results from the trauma of surgery. Also, inadequate pain management is being recognized as a widespread concern and problem. However, this is not always the case. Chronic pain, which is present longer than six months, often is difficult to link to a specific cause. In the chronic pain syndrome, physical and psychological deconditioning often leads to an individual withdrawing from the usual roles in life, such as mate, parent and worker.