[NoControllingLegalAuthority]

All of this talk about chronic pain makes me wonder if we haven't evolved into a society which cannot tolerate any pain. How did our ancestors tolerate pain? They had very little to take for it.

Have we become nothing but pampered sissies?

[mvpel]

In the days prior to prescription pain medication, people who had herniated disks and constat pain akin to a red-hot poker being twisted around in their backs went down to the local general store and bought some off-the-shelf opium, or laid in bed writhing in pain while their spouse or neighbor got the opium for them.

There were no drug prohibitions until the early 20th century.

[eno_]

Have we become nothing but pampered sissies?

We believe in the perfectability of life. A foolish belief. So we are both pampered sissies and cruel bluenoses that deny enough medication in cases of truly severe chronic pain. The worst of both worlds.

[Proud_texan]

"Have we become nothing but pampered sissies?"

It depends on what you call pampered sissies. If you can imagine having an amputation with nothing more than a shot of whiskey then yes and thanks, I'll be a sissy.

[MississippiMan]

How did our ancestors tolerate pain? They had very little to take for it.

Depends on how far back you want to go, I guess, but until the first quarter of the twentieth century, I'm pretty sure you could buy all manner of opiates, much purer probably, over the counter at a general store. Or you could get you one of the early version Coca-Colas and understand how it got so popular so fast.

Fact is, stuff like this in some form has been around for hundreds of years, back to the time when bleeding-by-leech was an accepted medical treatment, back to the time before the USA was the USA.

MM

[freedomlover]

All of this talk about chronic pain makes me wonder if we haven't evolved into a society which cannot tolerate any pain. How did our ancestors tolerate pain? They had very little to take for it.Have we become nothing but pampered sissies?

I had my entire colon taken out a month ago. Some things HURT. That being said my nurse (who I thought was being a busybody b#tch) convinced my not to take OC due ti its addictive nature once I was discharged. She turned out to be right.

Re the ancestors thing I simply would have died 100 years ago - a slow and painful death I might add. However for the pain alcohol and narcotics have been around quite a while. Ask the Chinese.

[Clara Lou]

All of this talk about chronic pain makes me wonder if we haven't evolved into a society which cannot tolerate any pain. How did our ancestors tolerate pain?
I'm very happy that you have never suffered chronic, debilitating, unescapable 24-hour per day pain. Neither had I until about 5 years ago, when I suffered a herniated disc: constant, strong muscle spasms; intense pain while sitting, standing, lying down; inability to sleep; inability to stand up straight while continuing to need to be able to teach for a living.

Re: ancestors in pain I imagine a fair number of them, in serious enough pain, ended their own pain via suicide.

Please accept that, although you haven't experienced it, incredible, unending pain does exist-- and people need help with it in order to continue a meaningful life.

[A. Pole]

All of this talk about chronic pain makes me wonder if we haven't evolved into a society which cannot tolerate any pain. How did our ancestors tolerate pain? They had very little to take for it.

A nonsense. Our ancestors had verry efficient and easy to get pain-killers provided by herbal medicine. Poppies extract and opium is a good example. Most of "modern" pain killers like morphine, codeine etc, are derived from poppies/opium. Our ancestors were neither masochists not sadists (with some exception of course).

[Paulus Invictus]

In medieval times, pain was a daily problem. Queen Elizabeth I had the worst possible pain from decaying teeth and she would be bed-ridden for days at a time. There were no dentists then and most people had severe dental problems, often leading to early death.

One of the worst pains I have ever had was to have a dental nerve go bad inside an undecayed tooth. It began to emit gas inside the tooth that applied increasing pressure on the nerve. Wow! With no way to alleviate the pain and no dentists nearby, it was well past excruciating and although I normally have a high threshold for pain, that was terrible. I would have taken an oxycontin in a flash had I had one available.

[edchambers]

How did our ancestors tolerate pain? They had very little to take for it.

CORN LIQUOR

[Unassuaged]

Ever heard of Morphine? Laudnum? (sp)