イントロダクション—痛みの理解を深めるために

Introduction: Toward a Better Understanding of Pain

痛みは多くの疾患に伴い時には疾患と関係なしに現れ，多くの臨床家が日常的に対処しているにもかかわらず，種々の慢性化した疼痛はその病態が多くは不明で，画一的な対処法では対応は難しい。痛みを理解することはその対処への第一歩であり，長年にわたり基礎研究，臨床研究により多くの知見が積み重ねられてきた。今後とも，「痛み」をよく知るための努力を継続することで，医療の原点である「痛みからの解放」を目指していきたい。

Abstract

Pain is an important manifestation of many diseases and may occasionally occur independent of the disease. Although many clinicians encounter the clinical symptom of pain on a daily basis in routine practice, the pathophysiology of various chronic pain conditions remains unclear; therefore, a standardized therapeutic approach is unavailable, and optimal pain management is challenging. Accurate understanding of pain represents the primary measure in pain alleviation, and much knowledge has been accumulated through basic and clinical research over time. We will continue research to gain deeper insight into the mechanisms underlying pain and aim to achieve “relief from pain,” which constitutes the roots of medical care.