Despite recent advances in treatment and understanding of the mechanisms behind pain, uncontrolled pain remains one the greatest challenges for physicians in practice today. Headaches, back pain, arthritis and other muscle and joint pain cost the nation’s employers more than $60 billion a year in lost productivity. That figure doesn’t come close to estimating the personal loss to the individual in terms of suffering, stress and the consequences of not being able to live a functional life.

Today’s patient (now known as a healthcare consumer) has certain expectations regarding his or her treatment and having to “live with pain” is typically not one of them. As a result, physicians are expected and often pressured to prescribe whatever medication is necessary to control the symptoms. Though these medications are usually used appropriately, overuse or abuse of many pain medications has led to an increase in prescription-drug addiction. As a result, law enforcement has increased prosecution of physicians found to be prescribing opiates inappropriately, in turn leading many physicians to avoid prescribing pain medications altogether. The common denominator in this conflict is the loss of the goal of treatment. Physicians and patients should remember that the goal of treatment is to maintain a functional lifestyle in those with acute pain and to regain a functional lifestyle for those with chronic pain.