Directors Message

Pain is a very common and increasing health problem both in the world and in our country. The concept of pain is defined by the International Association for the Study of Pain (IASP) as “sensory and emotional experience associated with or defined during or associated with tissue damage or potential tissue damage”. Investigating the cause of pain, collaborating with different specialties when necessary, making a diagnosis and effective treatment is only possible in centers where people who have received special training on this subject study.

Pain is examined in 2 groups as acute and chronic. Acute pain appears as a harbinger of various diseases. Acute pain is a symptom of illness. It is often a harbinger of tissue damage in the body. Acute pain is an important part of the body's alarm system. With its presence, it indicates a disorder in the body and allows the patient to consult a physician. Chronic pains are pains that last longer than 6 months (in some cases more than 3 months) and are no longer an alarm system. Chronic pain is not a sign of illness, but a serious health problem that needs to be treated on its own. A person suffering from chronic pain loses his productivity and activity. This situation often causes the patient to become withdrawn and depressed. Depression makes the person more sensitive, lowers the pain threshold and makes the pain worse. Chronic pain is a serious health problem that affects not only the patient suffering from pain, but also the patient's close environment. Therefore, pain is a multidisciplinary phenomenon that should be evaluated by a team. Major branches of medicine dealing with chronic pain are branches such as; Algology, Anesthesiology, Neurology, Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation, Neurosurgery, Orthopedics and Traumatology, Psychiatry and Clinical Psychology.

Prof. Dr. Haktan KARAMAN

ALGOLOJİ Director