title: Psychophysiology of pain: diagnostic and therapeutic implications.
abstract: Pain problems occupy muct of the time and therapeutic efforts of physicians. Nonmedical practitioners and cultists have likewise attracted many people seeking pain relief. In many cases the cultists seem to do as well as the ethical practitioner. A realistic view of pain takes into account the significance of the pain to the individual, the degree of anxiety and/or depression that contributes to the aggravation and prepetuation of the pain, and finally the manipulative  and defensive value that the pain may have to the individual. A purely mechanistic approach which would attempt to distinguish "real pain", ie, pain associated with a demonstrable lesion, and "imagined pain" will prove counterproductive. Likewise accusations of consciously pretended pain or malingering tend to be nontherapeutic. A sound therapeutic approach is to regard all pain as real, realizing that the pain of depression may be the most unendurable type of pain. Major psychotropic drugs for relief of anxiety and for treatment of depression have appplication in the management of selected pain problems.
mesh_terms: D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000928:Antidepressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001519:Behavior; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003674:Defense Mechanisms; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009413:Nerve Fibers, Myelinated / Q000502:physiology; D010146:Pain / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology; D059408:Pain Management; D010817:Physician-Patient Relations; D011602:Psychophysiologic Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy; D011619:Psychotropic Drugs / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012380:Role; D012961:Sociology
chemical_list: D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D000928:Antidepressive Agents; D011619:Psychotropic Drugs