Managing Chronic Pain in Survivors of Torture

SUMMARY 

All generalist and specialist clinicians are likely to encounter torture survivors among refugees and asylum seekers. A minority of people survive torture and a smaller minority reach a developed country; those who do tend to be the more resilient and resourceful. They have many health, social and welfare problems; persistent pain in the musculoskeletal system is one of the most common. There is little specific evidence on pain in survivors of torture; the guidelines on interdisciplinary specialist management are applicable. Most of the literature on refugee survivors of torture has an exclusive focus on psychological disorders, with particularly poor understanding of pain problems. This article summarizes the current status of assessment and treatment of pain problems in the torture survivor.

KEYWORDS:

• falanga
• post-torture pain
• torture
• torture methods
• torture rehabilitation
• torture survivor
• torture victim

Disclaimer

This manuscript reflects only the author’s views and none of the authors have any financial or other relationships that might lead to a conflict of interest with the content of this paper.

Financial & competing interests disclosure

Gratitude is expressed to the OAK Foundation for the financial support of the Parker Institute. The authors have no other relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript apart from those disclosed.

No writing assistance was utilized in the production of this manuscript.

Additional information

Funding

Gratitude is expressed to the OAK Foundation for the financial support of the Parker Institute. The authors have no other relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript apart from those disclosed. No writing assistance was utilized in the production of this manuscript.