Show 1021: If You Are in Pain, You Are Not Alone!

Chronic pain is often invisible, but it undermines the quality of life of a hundred million Americans. Many of these people face a terrible dilemma: without medication, they suffer dreadfully. But if they use narcotics to control chronic pain, they may be treated with suspicion or disdain. Measures designed to reduce drug abuse put many restrictions on people who are just trying to maintain their ability to function. Can Chronic Pain Be Managed Better? What solutions are there for controlling chronic pain? And how can we come to understand the people who need a narcotic medication just to complete their daily tasks, not because they are trying to get high? Note: For a physician’s point of view, you may wish to read this “Perspective” piece from the New England Journal of Medicine (Jan. 28, 2016). This Week’s Guest: Judy Foreman is a nationally syndicated health columnist who has won more than 50 journalism awards and whose columns have appeared regularly in the Boston Globe, Los Angeles Times, Dallas Morning News and other national and international outlets. She is a Senior Fellow at the Schuster Institute for Investigative Journalism at Brandeis. Her book is A Nation in Pain: Healing Our Biggest Health Problem. Her website is JudyForeman.com The photograph of Judy Foreman was taken by Andy Dolph. Listen to the Podcast: The podcast of this program will be available the Monday after the broadcast date. The show can be streamed online from this site and podcasts can be downloaded for free for four weeks after the date of broadcast. After that time has passed, digital downloads are available for $2.99. CDs may be purchased at any time after broadcast for $9.99. Buy the CD Download the mp3