The physician's reactions to patients with chronic pain

Physicians may react negatively to patients with chronic pain syndrome. Feelings of frustration, anger, disapproval and uncertainty, while understandable, can compromise effective care or lead to rejection of the patient. Characteristics and attitudes of both the physician and the patient are contributing factors. Countermeasures include awareness, exploration of the causes of chronic pain behavior, implementation of specific strategies for dealing with negative reactions, and education for the patient and the physician.