Chronic pain as a learned experience: Emory University Pain Control Center

Chronic pain is often a conditioned socioeconomic disease. A majority of chronic pain patients show pain behavior in excess of biomedical findings and disability ratings out of proportion to their actual physical impairment. Biomedical data and pain behavior are independent variables, as the latter is heavily controlled by socioeconomic factors. The diagnosis of chronic pain patients requires evaluation and matching of both variables. When disability claims are present, a comprehensive vocational evaluation should be performed and matched with biomedical and behavioral findings. The Emory Pain Estimate Model for diagnosis of chronic pain states is discussed briefly and techniques of vocational evaluation are presented also. The structure of the Emory Pain Control Program and data from treatment outcome are presented and discussed.