Experiencing the chronic pain phenomenon: a study.

The purpose of the study described in this article was to examine the experience of chronic pain. Using a phenomenological approach, 15 individuals who were being evaluated for admission to, or were being treated in, a pain management center were interviewed and asked to describe their life with chronic low back pain. Data were gathered from the subjects in interviews and then analyzed. The phrase experiencing the chronic pain phenomenon describes a process that individuals with chronic low back pain undergo, starting with the initial injury. They must deal with the uncertainty of the cause of pain; eventually, some recognize the inevitable nature of the pain. The findings indicate that chronic low back pain is a multidimensional problem that can affect every aspect of an individual's life.