Chronic Pain Miniatlas

Pain is one of the most unpleasant sensations human beings experience. Its occurrence warns about a potential threat to the integrity of the body, therefore it is considered critical to survival. However, when pain is prolonged for several weeks, or persists after the harmful agent has been removed, it becomes a condition that affects multiple aspects of the sufferer by significantly reducing the quality of life. The conditions capable of causing chronic pain include a wide range of diseases, e.g. rheumatic disorders, neuropathies and cancer. For this reason, in the presence of pain it is important to consider the possible underlying manifestations to establish accurate diagnosis and thus make a right choice among the available therapeutic strategies. This work has been developed for the purpose of contributing to a constant update on this matter; we hope it constitutes a useful reference source in your everyday practice.