The American Society of Anesthesiologists claims a membership of 34,000 physicians. Non-physicians who administer anesthesia, usually advanced practice nurses, are called anesthetists. The International Federation of Nurse Anesthetists has a worldwide membership of 45,000. Today, pain is described in two general categories. Acute pain, which is temporary in nature, tends to subside as an illness abates or a wound heals.
Chronic pain extends over a longer period of time.
Its effects range from nagging inconvenience to virtual incapacitation that seriously erodes the quality of life. It may extend beyond the normal anatomical borders. Often the cause is not easily found and patients are assumed to be faking or exaggerating. Unfortunately, efforts to understand and deal with chronic pain have not always kept pace with other medical advances. There is an explosion of research into pain and a push into evidence-based treatment.