Our Perception of Pain Depends on Time and Culture

Pain seems universal and irrefutable. Surprisingly, though, our perception and treatment of pain have always depended on time and culture.

Currently, pain isn’t considered to be as important as the opioid crisis. The voices of people in pain are often ignored. Sometimes, those who have pain are silenced because they fear the consequences — which may include losing their job, their friends, or their status — of telling their stories. That amounts to as many as 100 million Americans who may be actively hiding their pain, and who may feel isolated from a culture that stigmatizes chronic pain patients.