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A Man's Head Based on a Detail of An Allegory With Venus and Cupid by Bronzino
Although pain is highly subjective, understanding the common underlying pathways that form an outline for pain perception holds clues to better control. The need is great, for despite a growing focus on alleviating pain, an unacceptably large number of people live with it chronically.
According to the National Institutes of Health, 100 million people in the United States suffer from chronic pain, costing about $79 billion a year in care and lost work time. Certain painful conditions are endemic: 70% of those with cancer have pain, and 157 million US workdays are missed each year due to migraines. Globally, pain takes a huge toll. The World Health Organization (WHO) held a meeting on Oct. 11, 2004, declaring it a Global Day Against Pain. At the meeting, the International ...
