Perspective on Pain - A Look Towards Phenomenology

Abstract

Chronic pain is a rising global pandemic resulting in suffering across the world. It has been named a major public health crisis by the International Association of Pain (IASP) and warrants a greater focus. Chronic pain can have a massive impact on the quality of life, shortening one´s lifespan to societal implications creating immense economical costs. This master´s thesis challenges the current biomedical model and perspective on chronic pain and suffering. The biomedical model objectifies and narrows the perspective of the individual, which results in increased suffering for persistence of the condition. Phenomenology is offered as an alternative view shifting the focus from the third-person to the first-person perspective. It places the individual in suffering at the center of focus. Method: A literature-based search was made, scanning through PubMed, Medline and Embase for articles focusing on chronic pain and suffering through a phenomenological perspective on a conceptual level. From 1055 articles, 13 were included after the inclusion and exclusion criteria process. Results: Three main themes emerged; 1) From third to first-person perspective 2) Reconceptualising pain and suffering 3) Rethinking our language about pain. Conclusion: Moving away from the biomedical model means rejecting Cartesian dualism and a split of mind and body. A shift towards a phenomenological approach focuses on the subjective experience of pain. It entails understanding mind-body-world as intertwined and indistinguishable parts. It enables a deeper understanding of how chronic pain can alienate the sufferer from herself and others, changing her language and her ability to express and interact with the world. Such a shift demands a re-evaluation of our current concepts on pain and suffering, changing our language on pain to give room for the individual to be fully understood. New definitions on pain and suffering are suggested. With these changes, it might be possible to help the person in chronic pain to break free from a lived-world-in-pain.