41 Pain and Pain Management 疼痛与疼痛管理
①Years ago,doctors often said that pain was a normal part of life.In particular,when older patients complained of pain,they were told it was a natural part of aging and they would have to learn to live with it.
②Time has changeed,Today,we take pain seriously.Indeed,pain is now considered the fifth vital sign,as important as blood pressure,temperature,breathing rate and pulse in determining a person's well-being.We know that chronic pain can disrupt a person's life,causing problems that range from missed work to depression.
③That's why a growing number of hospitals now depend upon physicians who specialize in pain medicine.Not only do we evaluate the cause of the pain,which can help us treat the pain better,but we also help provide comprehensive therapy for depression and other psychological and social issues related to chronic pain.Such comprehensive therapy often involves the work of social workers,psychiatrists and psychologists,as well as specialists in pain medicine.
④This modern respect for pain management has lead to a wealth of innovation treatments which are often effective and fewer side effects than ever before.Decade ago,there were only a limited numbers of drugs available,and many of them caused significant side effects in older people,including dizziness and fatigue.This created a double-edged sword:the medications helped relieve the pain but caused other problems that could be worse than the pain itself.
