Guidelines for the use of controlled substances for the treatment of pain now consider inappropriate treatment, including undertreatment of pain, a departure from an acceptable standard of practice.

Tolerance is a natural occurrence in long-term treatment of chronic pain with opioids, not necessarily a slippery slope to addiction.

Beyond consensus that pain is “an unpleasant sensory and emotional experience,” its biology remains poorly understood, and options for its treatment remain frustratingly inadequate.

In the iconic painting Broken Column, Kahlo represents her spine as a Greek column that is fractured and disintegrating. In this beautiful and tragic interpretation, the fractured column bespeaks Kahlo’s physical weakness and emotional instability.

We currently have no simple test of any kind that tells us whether someone has pain, but there is reason to be optimistic that brain imaging that can contribute to evaluation of pain may be within our grasp.

There are numerous state and federal laws designed to protect against misuse and diversion of prescription drugs that apply to patients' behavior, physicians' prescribing practices, and dispensing.

Narcotics contracts, which stipulate patient responsibilities in exchange for opiate treatment of pain, may strike some patients as onerous, but they are a good way of reducing the risk of abuse or diversion of prescription drugs while still ensuring patients get pain relief.

The AMA Code of Medical Ethics’ opinions on sedation at the end of life.

Biological and cultural differences affect the experience of pain, and misinformation and biases affect its treatment.

There is increasing evidence that cannabis may represent a useful alternative or adjunct in the management of painful peripheral neuropathy, a condition that can markedly affect life quality.