Search for Relief From Pain

Your article “The Accelerated Search for Relief From Pain” (Column One, Sept. 22) by Anne Roark was well done. You are right about the lack of emphasis on acute pain, such as that after an operation, in medical literature and education. I believe that you exaggerated the ignorance of most surgeons about proper management of postoperative pain. We have had Patient Controlled Analgesic machines (they aren’t expensive) and epidural catheters in this community for six years and they are widely used. On the other hand, some very stodgy doctors do have the prejudices mentioned in the article.

The other barrier to adequate relief of severe pain is the government and its increasingly restrictive regulation of prescription drugs, including narcotics. The Drug Enforcement Administration tracks prescription use and has been known to entrap physicians who have been fooled by undercover agents simulating severe pain and requesting drugs.

Pain is difficult to measure with instruments and addicts do become adept at seeking narcotics. The fear of the DEA keeps some doctors leery of treating pain properly.

MICHAEL T. KENNEDY MD

Mission Viejo