Pain as "hurtful experience:" a philosophical analysis and implications for holistic nursing care

Pain is a universal phenomenon--and the most common reason why people seek medical advice. Yet despite its widespread prevalence, pain is among the least understood of all medical phenomena. This article discusses the epidemiology of pain and identifies both historic and contemporary definitions of pain. The proposition, "Pain is a hurtful experience," is analyzed in terms of five predicables: species, genus, specific difference, logical property, and logical accident. Implications for holistic nursing practice relative to each predicable are presented.