Pain is an essential signal to help us stay out of harm’s way. But when pain signals go awry and the pain turns from acute to chronic, it becomes much more difficult to handle.
Although pain is a major reason for people to see a doctor, relatively few physicians specialize in treating chronic pain. We discuss the pros and cons of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (available without prescription) as well as narcotics (available only with prescription). We also learn about other ways of treating pain.
Guests: Winston C.V. Parris, MD, is the Division Chief of Pain Management and Professor of Anesthesiology at Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC. The photo is of Dr. Parris.
Jennifer P. Schneider, MD, PhD, is a physician based in Tucson, AZ, and certified in internal medicine, addiction medicine, and pain management. Her book is Living With Chronic Pain: The Complete Health Guide to the Causes and Treatment of Chronic Pain. Her website is www.jenniferschneider.com/
The podcast of this program will be available the Monday after the broadcast date. Podcasts can be downloaded for free for six weeks after the date of broadcast. After that time has passed, digital downloads are available for $2.99. CDs may be purchased at any time after broadcast for $9.99.
The People's Perspective on Medicine