Pain
Pain is an unpleasant sensation often caused by intense or damaging stimuli such as; stubbing, burning, cutting and bumping. It motivates withdrawal from damaging or potentially damaging situations, protection of a damaged body part while it heals, and avoidance of similar experiences in the future. Most pain resolves promptly once the painful stimulus is removed and the body has healed, but sometimes pain persists despite removal of the stimulus and apparent healing of the body; and sometimes pain arises in the absence of any detectable stimulus, damage or disease.
Pain is the most common reason for physician consultation in the United States. It is a major symptom in many medical conditions, and can significantly interfere with a person's quality of life and general functioning. Psychological factors such as social support, hypnotic suggestion, excitement in sport or war and distraction can significantly modulate pain's intensity or unpleasantness.
Pain that lasts a long time is called chronic, and pain that resolves quickly is called acute. Traditionally, the distinction between acute and chronic pain has relied upon an arbitrary interval of time from onset. One of the most commonly used markers being 3 months and 6 months since the onset of pain, from acute to chronic pain. Others apply acute to pain that lasts less then 30 days and chronic pain of more than six months duration.
A popular alternative definition of chronic pain, involving no arbitrarily fixed durations is "pain that extends beyond the expected period of healing".
On average 16% of the worlds population suffers from chronic pain. Unfortunately most patients with chronic pain are inadequately treated due to the lack of efficient treatment modalities. Consequently, scientists and the industry are obliged to join forces to discover and develop better treatments for pain and hence fulfil the substantial demand for new and efficient compounds. Right now more than 200 companies are currently involved in the development or marketing of analgesics and anti-inflammatory drugs.
It has always been scientists dream to be able to measure pain objectively. However, this will most likely never become possible as pain is a multi-sensorial subjective perception and can not be quantified by a single number.
Do you suffer from Pain or another disease and want to participate in a Research Project, please fill out the form or let us contact you by using the Call me function.
