We, the Senior Editors of a new journal, Pain Management, published by Future Medicine Ltd (part of Future Science Group), welcome you to our first issue. We certainly thank you for taking the time to review the content, and for letting us know any comments you have for future issues.
We want to thank Laura Dormer and her staff at Future Medicine Ltd for their administration and input for this journal. At the same time, if one has a strong publication and administrative staff, one needs an established strong Editorial Board to ensure the good quality of the review and original research papers. Our Editorial Board reflects that strength. We invite you to review the members and reflect as we have on their reputation and potential contributions to this journal.
We would also like to thank our contributors to this first issue. The content reflects the bimonthly structure of this journal with reviews and original research augmented by commentary and analysis from international experts. The journal, published in both print and online format, combines news and views, case series, debates and policy perspectives.
As we all know, pain is a common, complex and distressing problem. Three of the top four principal reasons for US emergency department visits are pain related. Acute pain can be a useful alert to a disease or other problems, and is usually resolved when the underlying cause has been remedied. Chronic pain, by contrast, presents an enduring challenge, be it related to injury that has healed, due to an unresolved cause, and even when there is no evidence of previous injury or damage to the body. Pain Management will present findings, analysis and commentary on the battle with acute and chronic pain. The journal provides guidance to the multidisciplinary pain management community regarding the most effective pain strategies. Each individual also reacts to pain in a different way, creating unique challenges in appropriate classification and treatment. Pain Management will provide a key resource for physicians and other professionals when navigating these uncertainties to provide optimal treatment.
As you can see, the array of subjects in this inaugural issue of Pain Management reflects the diversity of the field and the need to understand the appropriate evaluation and treatment of patients with pain. We hope, and expect, that you will join with us in reading this and future issues to identify ways to moderate pain and improve function to better the quality of life for the patients in pain whom we treat.
Financial & competing interests disclosure
The authors have no 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. This includes employment, consultancies, honoraria, stock ownership or options, expert testimony, grants or patents received or pending, or royalties.
No writing assistance was utilized in the production of this manuscript.