Presenting Faculty
Maximillian Stevenson, PharmD MA BCPS
Session Overview
This session examines the concept of total pain and suffering in serious and complex illness, integrating physiologic, neurologic, and psychosocial dimensions to support accurate diagnosis and effective clinical decision‑making for patients and families.
What Learners Will Gain
Learners will self‑report the ability to apply, analyze, and evaluate the concepts of total pain and suffering when making appropriate diagnostic and clinical decisions that have important consequences for patients and families experiencing serious and complex illness.
Core Pain Concepts and Mechanisms
• Total pain and multidimensional suffering
• Central sensitization and neuroplasticity
• Descending modulation of nociception
• Physiologic manifestations of acute versus chronic pain
Pain Assessment and Classification
• Pain assessment and pathogenesis, including history, symptom measurement, function, and intensity
• Assessment within communication challenges, including delirium, cognitive impairment, and developmental capacity
• Pain classification: – Nociceptive pain (somatic and visceral)
– Neuropathic pain (peripheral nerve injury, spinal cord injury, central pain syndromes)
– Phantom limb pain
Clinical Pain Presentations
• Incident pain
• Ischemic pain
Diagnostic and Management Considerations
• Diagnostic testing in pain evaluation
• Barriers to effective pain and symptom relief
Clinical Focus Areas
• Integrating physiologic and psychosocial factors into pain assessment
• Addressing complexity and uncertainty in advanced illness
• Improving symptom control to reduce patient and family suffering