In "The Pain Chronicles," a singular and deeply humane work, Melanie Thernstrom traces conceptions of pain throughout the ages-from ancient Babylonian pain-banishing spells to modern brain imaging-to reveal the elusive, mysterious nature of pain itself.
While recent research has shown that pain produces pathological changes to the brain and spinal cord, many doctors and patients still labor under misguided cultural notions and outdated scientific dogmas that prevent proper treatment, to devastating effect. It is more widespread, misdiagnosed, and undertreated than any major disease. Today as much as 10 percent of the population of the United States suffers from chronic pain. Each of us will know physical pain in our lives, but none of us knows when it will come or how long it will stay.
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