Pain management nursing : official journal of the American Society of Pain Management Nurses
-
In addition to a physical and emotional experience, pain is also a morally infused experience with deep, often subconscious, meaning for many sufferers. Whether justified or not, for many people, pain may represent loss, judgement, unworthiness, abandonment, punishment, and even existential suffering and thoughts of death. The moral meaning of pain is what influences the associated experiences of stigma, loneliness, and guilt that contribute to suffering. ⋯ In this paper, I explore the definition of morality itself, the moral meaning of pain, and its implications for care. I discuss how moral pluralism in contemporary society contributes to various moral perceptions that influence a person's pain experience and how their pain is treated. Finally, I make the case that using a narrative approach to intentionally look for moral meaning in an individual's pain story may reveal opportunities for more effective pain management options.
-
Primary chronic pain (PCP), a relatively new classification, characterizes pain that is not a secondary response to an underlying primary condition such as trauma or cancer. This study explored the lived experience of adolescents with a diagnosis of PCP. ⋯ While significant research is being conducted on PCP, participants believe there is a lack of knowledge about PCP as a diagnosis and thus there are limited resources and a lack of empathy and understanding for these adolescents.