Pain has been defined by the International Association for the Study of Pain (IASP) as “an unpleasant sensory or emotional experience associated with actual or potential tissue damage.” Chronic pain is one of the most prevalent physical complaints and is loosely defined as prolonged pain of at least three months duration. Epidemiological research has estimated that 10-20% of the adult population suffers from chronic pain. The American Academy of Pain Management reported that greater than 50% of all Americans experienced recurrent or chronic pain in the past year.
