Abstract

Chronic pain, persists beyond the expected course of an acute disease process and is usually defined as pain lasting greater than 3 to 6 months, is probably the most common condition for which patients seek medical care. This type of pain causes much suffering and disability and is frequently mistreated or undertreated. Patients with chronic pain should undergo a careful assessment before therapy. Patients with chronic pain commonly experience depression, sleep disturbance, fatigue, and decreased overall physical and mental functioning. Therefore therapy is provided with the aim of decreasing pain and su- ffering while improving physical and mental functioning with a multidisciplinary approach. Korean Journal of Headache 2(2):81-87, 2001