Chronic Pain and Time – A Theoretical Analysis
Emmanuel Bäckryd Pain and Rehabilitation Center, and Department of Health, Medicine and Caring Sciences, Linköping University, Linköping, SwedenCorrespondence: Emmanuel Bäckryd, Pain and Rehabilitation Medicine, Linköping University, Brigadgatan 22, Linköping, SE-581 85, Sweden, Email emmanuel.backr...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Dove Medical Press
2023-12-01
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| Series: | Journal of Pain Research |
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| Online Access: | https://www.dovepress.com/chronic-pain-and-time--a-theoretical-analysis-peer-reviewed-fulltext-article-JPR |
| _version_ | 1797385667976626176 |
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| author | Bäckryd E |
| author_facet | Bäckryd E |
| author_sort | Bäckryd E |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Emmanuel Bäckryd Pain and Rehabilitation Center, and Department of Health, Medicine and Caring Sciences, Linköping University, Linköping, SwedenCorrespondence: Emmanuel Bäckryd, Pain and Rehabilitation Medicine, Linköping University, Brigadgatan 22, Linköping, SE-581 85, Sweden, Email emmanuel.backryd@liu.seBackground: When theoretically discussing pain, the distinction between acute and chronic pain is not always taken into consideration. By contrast, informed by the pain medicine distinction between acute and chronic pain, the present theoretical paper analyses the phenomena of chronicity and chronification in the pain setting.Methods: Philosopher Fredrik Svenaeus and his paper The phenomenology of chronic pain: embodiment and alienation (Continental Philosophy Review 2015;48:107– 122) is used as a dialogue partner.Results: Three aspects, relevant for clinicians, are discussed: (1) the distinction between emotion and mood, arguing that the process of chronification entails pain evolving from the former to the latter; (2) chronification as a process in which the pain patient becomes aware of his/her temporality, both the past and the future coming to the fore (as opposed to severe acute pain in which only the present counts, ie, getting rid of the pain now); (3) the acquisition of a pain-related narrative identity, interdisciplinary pain rehabilitation programs being described as helping patients regain a narrative identity that is not dominated by pain or by a fruitless chase after pain relief.Conclusion: Chronic pain reminds us of our temporality and of the narrative character of our lives.Plain Language Summary: It is important to distinguish acute pain from chronic pain. When pain is discussed by philosophers of medicine, this distinction is not always made. In the present paper, the phenomenon of chronic pain is analysed. It is argued that chronic pain reminds us of the fact that human beings are subject to time and that our lives can be viewed as a story unfolding in time. When pain persists, both past and future come to the fore. This contrasts with severe acute pain in which only the present counts, ie, getting rid of the pain now. This has practical and clinical implications, and it is argued that one of the potential benefits of interdisciplinary pain rehabilitation programs is to help patients reclaim the story of their lives from the dominion of pain and a fruitless chase after pain relief.Keywords: chronic, chronification, narrative, pain, temporality, time |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-08T21:57:37Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-f5d65320512d41d8ba6b1182da448398 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1178-7090 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-08T21:57:37Z |
| publishDate | 2023-12-01 |
| publisher | Dove Medical Press |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Pain Research |
| spelling | doaj.art-f5d65320512d41d8ba6b1182da4483982023-12-19T17:37:32ZengDove Medical PressJournal of Pain Research1178-70902023-12-01Volume 164329433589098Chronic Pain and Time – A Theoretical AnalysisBäckryd EEmmanuel Bäckryd Pain and Rehabilitation Center, and Department of Health, Medicine and Caring Sciences, Linköping University, Linköping, SwedenCorrespondence: Emmanuel Bäckryd, Pain and Rehabilitation Medicine, Linköping University, Brigadgatan 22, Linköping, SE-581 85, Sweden, Email emmanuel.backryd@liu.seBackground: When theoretically discussing pain, the distinction between acute and chronic pain is not always taken into consideration. By contrast, informed by the pain medicine distinction between acute and chronic pain, the present theoretical paper analyses the phenomena of chronicity and chronification in the pain setting.Methods: Philosopher Fredrik Svenaeus and his paper The phenomenology of chronic pain: embodiment and alienation (Continental Philosophy Review 2015;48:107– 122) is used as a dialogue partner.Results: Three aspects, relevant for clinicians, are discussed: (1) the distinction between emotion and mood, arguing that the process of chronification entails pain evolving from the former to the latter; (2) chronification as a process in which the pain patient becomes aware of his/her temporality, both the past and the future coming to the fore (as opposed to severe acute pain in which only the present counts, ie, getting rid of the pain now); (3) the acquisition of a pain-related narrative identity, interdisciplinary pain rehabilitation programs being described as helping patients regain a narrative identity that is not dominated by pain or by a fruitless chase after pain relief.Conclusion: Chronic pain reminds us of our temporality and of the narrative character of our lives.Plain Language Summary: It is important to distinguish acute pain from chronic pain. When pain is discussed by philosophers of medicine, this distinction is not always made. In the present paper, the phenomenon of chronic pain is analysed. It is argued that chronic pain reminds us of the fact that human beings are subject to time and that our lives can be viewed as a story unfolding in time. When pain persists, both past and future come to the fore. This contrasts with severe acute pain in which only the present counts, ie, getting rid of the pain now. This has practical and clinical implications, and it is argued that one of the potential benefits of interdisciplinary pain rehabilitation programs is to help patients reclaim the story of their lives from the dominion of pain and a fruitless chase after pain relief.Keywords: chronic, chronification, narrative, pain, temporality, timehttps://www.dovepress.com/chronic-pain-and-time--a-theoretical-analysis-peer-reviewed-fulltext-article-JPRchronicchronificationnarrativepaintemporalitytime. |
| spellingShingle | Bäckryd E Chronic Pain and Time – A Theoretical Analysis Journal of Pain Research chronic chronification narrative pain temporality time. |
| title | Chronic Pain and Time – A Theoretical Analysis |
| title_full | Chronic Pain and Time – A Theoretical Analysis |
| title_fullStr | Chronic Pain and Time – A Theoretical Analysis |
| title_full_unstemmed | Chronic Pain and Time – A Theoretical Analysis |
| title_short | Chronic Pain and Time – A Theoretical Analysis |
| title_sort | chronic pain and time ndash a theoretical analysis |
| topic | chronic chronification narrative pain temporality time. |
| url | https://www.dovepress.com/chronic-pain-and-time--a-theoretical-analysis-peer-reviewed-fulltext-article-JPR |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT backryde chronicpainandtimendashatheoreticalanalysis |