The treatment of chronic pain has significantly improved over
the last decade. Common types of chronic pain include back pain,
headaches, arthritis, cancer pain, and pain from injury to
nerves (called neuropathic pain). The old thinking: Use
narcotics to treat patients who are really hurting and hope they
escape addiction, or avoid such complications by limiting pain
treatment. The new thinking: The diagnosis and active treatment
of any underlying causes of pain. Treat chronic pain as a
disease, not merely a symptom. Use a team approach, with pain
specialists determining which patients need which types of help.
Involve patients in their treatment and teach them to help
themselves. Fifth 'vital' sign Among those calling for pain-
treatment standards is the Veterans Health Administration (VHA).
In 1998, the VHA adopted pain as a fifth vital sign to be
"measured" along with blood pressure, heart rate, breathing
rate, and temperature. Countless conditions can cause chronic
pain, but these are the major offenders: