Pain

It is estimated that 80 percent of people who seek medical help do so to alleviate pain. Research shows that between 30 and 40 percent of adults experience some degree of chronic pain. And that's only physical discomfort. When you consider emotional or psychological pain, chances are everyone is living with some kind of pain. And if that isn't surprising, here's something that's even more amazing - up to 75 percent of reported pain isn't linked to an identifiable physical cause. That means pain is not just a physical issue, so ultimately it can't be treated by physical means alone. Most people cope with pain by searching for a quick, physical fix. In fact a New York Times article reported that more people are now addicted to painkillers than to street drugs and that hospitalisations related to prescription drugs have increased fivefold and overdose deaths fourfold in the last decade. That's not surprising given the ubiquitous ads on TV and in print media for all kinds of