Human Suffering

Reflections on human suffering.

Understanding pain and human suffering

In the twentieth century the knowledge regarding pain, especially at the neurophysiological level, and in particular neuropathic pain, has increased. But more knowledge and analgesic medication devalued the doctor-patient relationship, sometimes ignoring the complexity of human suffering, far beyond pain. This is associated with a huge investment in biochemical research at the expense of traini...

The Panoramic Landscape of Human Suffering

T Old Masters were never wrong about suffering, wrote W.H. Auden. They understood how it takes place, “While someone else is eating or opening a window or just walking dully along” (1). Auden was referring to the work of Pieter Bruegel the Elder, which dwelled on suffering, along with labor and merrymaking, the lot of simple folk. He painted them with such dedication it earned him the title “Pe...

Suffering

Suffering—background Clinicians commonly see the alleviation of their patients' suffering as one of the principal aims of their clinical work. Public health specialists adopt a similar view. For example, the World Health Organisation website includes >10,000 references to 'suffering'. Crucially, the alleviation of suffering is not the same as alleviation of symptoms. Some interventions may alle...

Suffering and Hope: the Biblical Vision and the Human