ABSTRACT
Pain has existed since time in memoriam. Perhaps the fi rst documented mention of pain was in the Ebers papyrus dating back to the fourth century B.C.E. in which the goddess Isis recommends the use of opium to treat the god Ra’s headaches. Since that time, pain has been the focus of philosophical speculation and scientifi c attention, yet it continues to remain a challenging problem for the individual, his or her signifi cant others, health care providers, and society.
