As our readings highlight, the current model for understanding pain involves multiple factors that go above and beyond the biological aspects of pain sensations. Pain is currently viewed as a SUBJECTIVE EXPERIENCE that is influenced by biological factors, psychological variables that include affect, cognition, and behavior, and by social interaction factors or circumstances. This is considered to be true for both acute and chronic pain.

As a result of this shift in the recognition of the multidimensional aspects of pain, interventions have been developed to assist patients in coping with painful experiences. For example, we now know that environmental accommodations can be conducive to diminished pain sensations during medical procedures, we are beginning to advocate for pain prevention and pain management strategies that go beyond the use of pain medication, and patients with chronic pain are now being educated about the role behavior and fear can play a role in symptom exacerbation. 

Despite the advances in the field, some of these findings and recommendations can be ‘lost in translation’ and we may find ourselves being witnesses to poor pain management strategies in the ‘real-world’ health care settings to due providers’ limited understanding of the biopsychosocial aspects of pain.

For this discussion, please imagine that you are a patient pain management advocate. Browse through the following or other recognized/scholarly pain websites and identify one resource (e.g., article, fact sheet, video, testimonial) that you think would be worth sharing with health care providers that might not yet understand the biopsychosocial interactions that play a role in the pain experience. Upload your selected resource as an attachment or share its access link and provide a brief rationale for why you selected that particular resource.

American Pain Society: http://www.americanpainsociety.org (Links to an external site.)

American Chronic Pain Association: http://www.theacpa.org (Links to an external site.)

International Association for the Study of Pain: http://www.iasp-pain.org/

Center for Pediatric Pain Research: http://pediatric-pain.ca/