Speaking the Language of Pain
AJN, American Journal of Nursing 101, No. 2 (February 2001)
Dorothy 'Dale' M. Mayer, MS, RN, CS
Linda Torma, MSN, RN, CS
Ira Byock, MD
Kaye Norris, PhD
Pain is the primary complaint for which people seek treatment. But as renowned pain expert Betty Ferrell has noted, "It is ironic that although pain is one of the most treatable of symptoms, it is often cited as one of the failures of modern medicine." Indeed, the statistics speak for themselves: in the United States, three-fourths of surgical patients
report inadequate relief of acute pain; four in 10 people with moderate-to-severe chronic pain have inadequate relief; more than 26 million people aged 20 to 64 live with frequent or persistent back pain; one in six suffers from arthritis pain; only 30% of cancer patients have adequate relief.
What's immeasurable are the consequences. Neglected pain erodes a patient's trust in the health care system, and it can lead to further health setbacks and increased costs in treatment. Conversely, appropriate pain management can bring about quicker recoveries, shorter hospital stays, fewer readmissions, and improved quality of life. Clearly, it's time to bring the subject of pain-often a taboo topic-out into the open. But how?
In Missoula, Montana, we took the discussion of pain management to medical facilities, and we took it a step further, into the community...
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