Advocacy for patients with neuropathic pain

Pain is a nearly universal yet highly individual experience, with broad determinants including genetic factors, mechanism of injury, medical comorbidities, social aspects, and variations in coping styles and belief systems. In this chapter we examine how pain impacts individuals, healthcare providers who care for individuals with pain, and the overall health system with an emphasis on the importance of advocacy at each level. Key issues include the importance of continuing research in developing effective treatments with minimal side effects, improving access to and understanding of complementary and alternative treatment modalities such as cognitive behavioural therapy, developing continuing medical education programmes that empower physicians in the management of complex pain disorders, developing educational materials for patients that enable them to participate in the prevention and/or treatment of pain disorders, and integrating efforts within and across institutions and at a health system level.