The medicalization of chronic pain

Abstract

This paper presents an initial analysis of the medicalization of chronic pain, focusing on the definitions and treatment of chronic pain in recent decades. We identify several factors that contributed to this medicalization including the emergence of the gate control theory of pain, medical advocates for pain treatment and speciality training, the development of multidisciplinary pain clinics, the emergence of professional pain associations, extended medical treatments, and governmental decisions and support. The increased attention to chronic pain as a discrete medical category and innovations in chronic pain treatment have contributed to the medicalization of chronic pain in ways that suggest there may be benefits to society and pain sufferers, in contrast to many other cases of medicalization.