Skip to content
  • About
  • Contact
  • Contribute
  • Book
  • Careers
  • Podcast
  • Recommended
  • Speaking
  • All
  • Physician
  • Practice
  • Policy
  • Finance
  • Conditions
  • .edu
  • Patient
  • Meds
  • Tech
  • Social
  • Video
    • All
    • Physician
    • Practice
    • Policy
    • Finance
    • Conditions
    • .edu
    • Patient
    • Meds
    • Tech
    • Social
    • Video
    • About
    • Contact
    • Contribute
    • Book
    • Careers
    • Podcast
    • Recommended
    • Speaking

The power of listening: a poem from a chronic pain patient to their doctor

Aaron Morgenstein, MD
Physician
February 25, 2023
24 Shares
Share
Tweet
Share

Per the CDC, 11 to 40 percent of Americans struggle with chronic pain. All physicians must treat patients with chronic pain, whether they are spine surgeons or primary care physicians. It is a disease we can not escape.

 We do not have a one-time pill to fix chronic pain.

Unlike other diseases, we do not necessarily have a cure for chronic pain. In medical school and residency, we are provided with very little education on treating one of the more common ailments Americans deal with. Some physicians will attempt to treat chronic pain in their office, while others will refer these patients to pain management specialists or surgeons to address their patients’ pain.

“Take as directed.”

In medicine, we quickly prescribe our patients’ medications, injections, and surgical procedures to address chronic pain, yet we fail to resolve the source of their pain completely. We often apply expensive band-aids to treat chronic pain without providing long-term solutions.

 Their pain continues.

Studies have shown that chronic pain is best treated with a multidisciplinary approach. Treatment for chronic pain can be challenging in the current state of health care, and it has led to many physicians being asked to manage chronic pain they would prefer not to.

 Listening is a treatment option.

We don’t get paid extra to listen to patients about their chronic pain, but we should. We all dread those patients that consume our time in the clinic. Although taking the time to listen to our patients with chronic pain may not be financially rewarding, we should advocate for it. Sometimes listening to one’s pain can bring about significant healing effects. That time spent with patients listening to their complaints of pain will likely not be reflected in our online reviews. Instead, we seek to be internally rewarded when patients improve over time without the more considerable secondary gains.

 Everything is worth sharing.

During my early career, I managed a patient that had a long, one-year recovery from a shoulder fracture. After we got the patient to heal, the family presented me with an engraved wooden keepsake box to store my gifts and cards from patients. At first, I thought it was silly… Why would I care to keep these things from my patients? I no longer feel the keepsake box is silly. As my career continues, I greatly enjoy adding items from my patients to this box. And when I am down, I reach into that box and am reminded of some of the great patients I have had the joy of treating.

 Unexpected poetry from a patient.

One day a patient of mine brought me a poem written in pencil on college-ruled paper. I had never done surgery on this patient nor provided him with opioids to treat his chronic pain. Over the years, I prescribed physical therapy, educated him about the benefits of yoga, meditation, aquatic therapy, and avoiding alcohol and tobacco. I mostly listened to him for 20 minutes every three months about his aches, family, and life’s drama. I never knew the actual effects I had on this patient until recently. Without my knowledge, the patient had started to write poetry. To my surprise, he brought me a poem I will share with you.

 The poem: chronic pain

I was caught in the past
I couldn’t face the day
My thoughts were racing fast
And I had so much to say

I was used and abused
I’ll never forget to this day
I was lost and confused
Till you showed me the way

You took the extra time
And listened to my pain
Your words eased my mind
And now I can see again

You were there for me
When I needed a friend
You set my spirit free
And I found solace again

Although the night is long
I know I’ll make it through
And I’ll remain strong
Because of friends like you

I share these words with you
I know I can always confide in you

Final thoughts

After reading it the first time, my eyes began to tear up. Poetry had never sounded so beautiful to me. I never expected to touch someone’s life just by listening to them. I was taught in medical school to prescribe and in residency to operate, but this patient needed someone to listen to them.

This poem is a touching tribute to all who take the time to listen to patients with chronic pain. I hope that sharing this with you encourages other physicians to share the creative work of their patients.

Aaron Morgenstein is a board-certified orthopedic surgeon and founder, FlexMedStaff.com, a fully transparent and free marketplace for physicians to find new clinical and non-clinical opportunities to improve work-life balance. Contact Aaron here.

Prev

The hidden dangers of the Nebraska Heartbeat Act

February 25, 2023 Kevin 17
…
Next

Breaking free from corporate medicine: one doctor's quest for ethical care

February 25, 2023 Kevin 0
…

Tagged as: Pain Management

Post navigation

< Previous Post
The hidden dangers of the Nebraska Heartbeat Act
Next Post >
Breaking free from corporate medicine: one doctor's quest for ethical care

More by Aaron Morgenstein, MD

  • The locums industry has a beef problem

    Aaron Morgenstein, MD
  • Be like Mike (Jordan) and build your personal doctor brand

    Aaron Morgenstein, MD & Diana Londoño, MD
  • The Titanic sinking: a metaphor for the impending collapse of medicine

    Aaron Morgenstein, MD & Corinne Sundar Rao, MD & Shreekant Vasudhev, MD

Related Posts

  • Think twice before prescribing opioids as a first-line treatment for pain

    Gary Call, MD
  • 5 things I wish I had known earlier about chronic pain

    Tom Bowen
  • Merging the wisdom of pain medicine and addiction medicine to optimize outcomes

    Julie Craig, MD
  • 5 hidden consequences of chronic pain

    Toni Bernhard, JD
  • Using low-dose naltrexone to treat pain

    Alex Smith
  • Blame the pain, not the opioids

    Angelika Byczkowski

More in Physician

  • Finding peace through surrender: a personal exploration

    Dympna Weil, MD
  • The struggle to fill emergency medicine residency spots: Exploring the factors behind the unfilled match

    Katrina Gipson, MD, MPH
  • Beyond the disease: the power of empathy in health care

    Nana Dadzie Ghansah, MD
  • How to overcome telemedicine’s biggest obstacles

    Harvey Castro, MD, MBA
  • The patient who became my soulmate

    Anonymous
  • Breaking the stigma: Addressing the struggles of physicians

    Jean Antonucci, MD
  • Most Popular

  • Past Week

    • Resetting the doctor-patient relationship: Navigating the challenges of modern primary care

      Jeffrey H. Millstein, MD | Physician
    • Nobody wants this job. Should physicians stick around?

      Katie Klingberg, MD | Physician
    • Healing the damaged nurse-physician dynamic

      Angel J. Mena, MD and Ali Morin, MSN, RN | Policy
    • Lifestyle change: the forgotten solution in health care

      Tyler Petersen | Conditions
    • From physician to patient: one doctor’s journey to finding purpose after a devastating injury

      Stephanie Pearson, MD | Physician
    • Breaking the stigma: Addressing the struggles of physicians

      Jean Antonucci, MD | Physician
  • Past 6 Months

    • The hidden dangers of the Nebraska Heartbeat Act

      Meghan Sheehan, MD | Policy
    • The vital importance of climate change education in medical schools

      Helen Kim, MD | Policy
    • The fight for reproductive health: Why medication abortion matters

      Catherine Hennessey, MD | Physician
    • Nobody wants this job. Should physicians stick around?

      Katie Klingberg, MD | Physician
    • Resetting the doctor-patient relationship: Navigating the challenges of modern primary care

      Jeffrey H. Millstein, MD | Physician
    • Why are doctors sued and politicians aren’t?

      Kellie Lease Stecher, MD | Physician
  • Recent Posts

    • The real cause of America’s opioid crisis: Doctors are not to blame

      Richard A. Lawhern, PhD | Meds
    • How medical student loan forgiveness can advance health equity [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
    • The rise of generative AI in health care: Here’s what you need to know

      Anil Saldanha | Tech
    • Finding peace through surrender: a personal exploration

      Dympna Weil, MD | Physician
    • The struggle to fill emergency medicine residency spots: Exploring the factors behind the unfilled match

      Katrina Gipson, MD, MPH | Physician
    • Unlocking the secret to successful weight loss: Curiosity is the key

      Franchell Hamilton, MD | Conditions

Subscribe to KevinMD and never miss a story!

Get free updates delivered free to your inbox.


Find jobs at
Careers by KevinMD.com

Search thousands of physician, PA, NP, and CRNA jobs now.

Learn more

Leave a Comment

Founded in 2004 by Kevin Pho, MD, KevinMD.com is the web’s leading platform where physicians, advanced practitioners, nurses, medical students, and patients share their insight and tell their stories.

Social

  • Like on Facebook
  • Follow on Twitter
  • Connect on Linkedin
  • Subscribe on Youtube
  • Instagram

CME Spotlights

From MedPage Today

Latest News

  • Heart Failure's Obesity Paradox Falls Apart on Further Inspection
  • Nobody Wants This Job. Should Physicians Stick Around?
  • Early Postpartum IUD Placement Yields Low Complete Expulsion Rate
  • Hydrocortisone Reduced Mortality in Patients With Severe Pneumonia
  • Obesity Tied to Density of Food Stores Carrying Less Healthy Options, Report Finds

Meeting Coverage

  • Trial of Novel TYK2 Inhibitor Hits Its Endpoint in Plaque Psoriasis
  • Durable Vitiligo Responses With Topical Ruxolitinib
  • High Rates of Psoriasis Clearance With Investigational TYK2 Inhibitor
  • Rapid Improvement in Atopic Dermatitis With Topical PDE4 Inhibitor
  • New Approaches in the Bladder-Sparing Paradigm
  • Most Popular

  • Past Week

    • Resetting the doctor-patient relationship: Navigating the challenges of modern primary care

      Jeffrey H. Millstein, MD | Physician
    • Nobody wants this job. Should physicians stick around?

      Katie Klingberg, MD | Physician
    • Healing the damaged nurse-physician dynamic

      Angel J. Mena, MD and Ali Morin, MSN, RN | Policy
    • Lifestyle change: the forgotten solution in health care

      Tyler Petersen | Conditions
    • From physician to patient: one doctor’s journey to finding purpose after a devastating injury

      Stephanie Pearson, MD | Physician
    • Breaking the stigma: Addressing the struggles of physicians

      Jean Antonucci, MD | Physician
  • Past 6 Months

    • The hidden dangers of the Nebraska Heartbeat Act

      Meghan Sheehan, MD | Policy
    • The vital importance of climate change education in medical schools

      Helen Kim, MD | Policy
    • The fight for reproductive health: Why medication abortion matters

      Catherine Hennessey, MD | Physician
    • Nobody wants this job. Should physicians stick around?

      Katie Klingberg, MD | Physician
    • Resetting the doctor-patient relationship: Navigating the challenges of modern primary care

      Jeffrey H. Millstein, MD | Physician
    • Why are doctors sued and politicians aren’t?

      Kellie Lease Stecher, MD | Physician
  • Recent Posts

    • The real cause of America’s opioid crisis: Doctors are not to blame

      Richard A. Lawhern, PhD | Meds
    • How medical student loan forgiveness can advance health equity [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
    • The rise of generative AI in health care: Here’s what you need to know

      Anil Saldanha | Tech
    • Finding peace through surrender: a personal exploration

      Dympna Weil, MD | Physician
    • The struggle to fill emergency medicine residency spots: Exploring the factors behind the unfilled match

      Katrina Gipson, MD, MPH | Physician
    • Unlocking the secret to successful weight loss: Curiosity is the key

      Franchell Hamilton, MD | Conditions

MedPage Today Professional

An Everyday Health Property Medpage Today iMedicalApps
  • Terms of Use | Disclaimer
  • Privacy Policy
  • DMCA Policy
All Content © KevinMD, LLC
Site by Outthink Group

Leave a Comment

Comments are moderated before they are published. Please read the comment policy.

Loading Comments...