Loeser J D
Department of Neurological Surgery and Anesthesiology, University of Washington, Seattle 98195, USA.
Clin J Pain. 2000 Jun;16(2 Suppl):S2-6. doi: 10.1097/00002508-200006001-00002.
It is suffering, not pain, that brings patients into doctor's offices in hopes of finding relief. Astounding developments in our understanding of the mechanisms of nociception should not cause us to lose sight of our patients' goals. Chronic pain is far more than a sensory process. We must maintain the biopsychosocial model of chronic pain if we are to provide effective health care to our patients. Understanding the components of pain facilitates this goal. Suffering is an emergent property of the human brain and is dependent upon consciousness. It too is worthy of study by scientists and of concern to clinicians.
让患者走进医生办公室寻求缓解的是痛苦，而非疼痛。我们对伤害感受机制的理解取得了惊人进展，但这不应使我们忽视患者的目标。慢性疼痛远不止是一个感觉过程。如果我们要为患者提供有效的医疗服务，就必须维持慢性疼痛的生物心理社会模型。理解疼痛的构成要素有助于实现这一目标。痛苦是人类大脑的一种涌现属性，且依赖于意识。它同样值得科学家去研究，也值得临床医生关注。
