The pathophysiology of pain

Attempting to relieve pain can be difficult, but with a firm understanding of the physiology of pain facilitation and inhibition, meaningful management strategies can be devised. Pain management failure will be more easily understood and less likely to be blamed on the patient. Good pain management requires both the practitioner and the patient to be knowledgeable. There are no shortcuts or prescriptions that will suit every patient experiencing any particular type of pain. This fact is both the difficult dilemma and the challenging aspect of pain control.