Targeting the Source: Hope for Sufferers of Chronic Pain According to statistics over 100 million Americans suffer from chronic pain. Patients with symptoms of chronic pain are seen by clinicians across multiple clinical settings; and come with pain complaints that rate from moderate to severe. This chronic pain can be persistent and often interferes in the daily routine of the sufferer, causing disability, psychological distress (anxiety, depression), and problems with sleep deprivation. However, there is hope, people with chronic pain can live happy lives without suffering. Two Types of Pain There are 2 kinds of pain: acute and chronic. Acute pain alerts the body that there is a problem/impairment in the system; if this problem resolves—the pain goes away. Acute pain is a important, because it serves as a protective mechanism that permits us to live in an environment with potential dangers. Chronic pain, on the other hand, is pain which lasts beyond the ex...