Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 23, 2026
08:20
Efficacy of Fu's Subcutaneous Needling on Sciatic Nerve Pain: Behavioral and Electrophysiological Changes in a Chronic Constriction Injury Rat Model
Published on: June 30, 2023
Suffering: the contributions of persistent pain
1Department of Anesthesiology, School of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle 98195, USA. crc@u.washington.edu
Lancet (London, England)
|July 7, 1999
Summary
Suffering arises when chronic pain damages one's sense of self, creating a stress cycle. Physicians can alleviate suffering by effectively managing pain, distinguishing it from the broader concept of suffering.
Area of Science:
- Medical Humanities
- Psychology
- Pain Medicine
Background:
- Pain is a threat to biological integrity, while suffering involves a threat to the self.
- Chronic pain can alter a patient's identity, leading to physiological stress responses.
- A discrepancy between self-perception and reality contributes to suffering.
Purpose of the Study:
- To define suffering in a medically useful way, differentiating it from pain.
- To explain how pain acts as a stressor contributing to suffering.
- To explore clinical implications for patient care.
Main Methods:
- Conceptual review of pain and suffering.
- Analysis of the relationship between chronic pain, stress, and patient identity.
- Exploration of the physician's role in managing suffering.
Main Results:
- Suffering emerges from a perceived threat to the self, often exacerbated by chronic pain.
- Chronic pain triggers a stress response (neuroendocrine dysregulation, fatigue, dysphoria) that can create a cycle of disability.
- The perception of uncontrollable pain intensifies stress and suffering.
Conclusions:
- Suffering is distinct from pain, though pain can be a significant contributor.
- Understanding pain as a stressor is crucial for physicians.
- Effective pain management by physicians can prevent or relieve patient suffering.
Related Concept Videos
01:44Nociception
Nociception—the ability to feel pain—is essential for an organism’s survival and overall well-being. Noxious stimuli such as piercing pain from a sharp object, heat from an open flame, or contact with corrosive chemicals are first detected by sensory receptors, called nociceptors, located on nerve endings. Nociceptors express ion channels that convert noxious stimuli into electrical signals. When these signals reach the brain via sensory neurons, they are perceived as pain. Thus, pain helps the...
01:29Blood and Nerve Supply to the Bones
Bones are dynamic organs that require a rich supply of oxygen and nutrients. Around 5% to 10% of the cardiac output supplies blood to the bones. A typical long bone has three main sources: the nutrient artery, the metaphyseal and epiphyseal arteries, and the periosteal arteries.
Nutrient Artery
The nutrient artery is the main blood vessel that enters the diaphysis via the nutrient foramen. While most long bones have only one nutrient foramen, large bones, such as the femur, may have two. This...
Nutrient Artery
The nutrient artery is the main blood vessel that enters the diaphysis via the nutrient foramen. While most long bones have only one nutrient foramen, large bones, such as the femur, may have two. This...
01:25Analgesia and Pain Management
Pain is critical to various clinical pathologies, provoking an urgent need for effective management. Pain, whether acute or chronic, is a complex neurochemical process. Its alleviation depends on the type, with nonopioid analgesics effective for mild to moderate pain, such as musculoskeletal or inflammatory pain, while neuropathic pain responds best to anticonvulsants, tricyclic antidepressants, or serotonin/norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors. For severe acute or chronic pain, opioids may be...
01:16Vascular Spasm
The vascular phase, also known as vasospasm, is the initial stage of hemostasis, crucial for preventing excessive bleeding when a blood vessel is injured. After a vessel is cut, nerves in the damaged area trigger pain and other sensory impulses. Simultaneously, the smooth muscles in the vessel wall contract, resulting in a vascular spasm. This contraction reduces the vessel's diameter at the injury site, slowing or stopping blood loss through the vessel wall. Vascular spasms typically last for...
01:24Chronic Pancreatitis I: Introduction
The pancreas, an elongated and flat gland situated behind the stomach, serves a vital function in digesting food and managing blood sugar levels.
Pancreatitis is the inflammation of the pancreas, which occurs when the immune system becomes active and causes swelling, pain, and disruptions in organ function. Pancreatitis can manifest as either an acute or chronic condition.
Acute pancreatitis arises suddenly and lasts for a brief duration, while chronic pancreatitis is a long-term affliction...
Pancreatitis is the inflammation of the pancreas, which occurs when the immune system becomes active and causes swelling, pain, and disruptions in organ function. Pancreatitis can manifest as either an acute or chronic condition.
Acute pancreatitis arises suddenly and lasts for a brief duration, while chronic pancreatitis is a long-term affliction...
01:20Pain
Pain serves as a critical warning signal that alerts the body to potential or actual harm. When mechanical pressure on the skin is intense, such as from a sharp pinch, the sensation transitions from touch to pain. Similarly, extreme temperatures, like a hot pot handle, convert the sensation of heat into pain. Pain can also result from overstimulation of other senses, such as blinding light, loud noise, or the intense heat from habañero peppers. This ability to sense pain is essential for...