Chronic pain syndrome consists of chronic anxiety and depression, anger, and changed lifestyle, all with a variable but significant level of genuine neurologically based pain.

Rare is the person who has not experienced pain and misery from a kidney stone, eye scratch, childbirth, or other problem. But the eye healed, the stone was passed, and the baby born. In each case, pain flared up in response to a known cause. With treatment, or with the body's healing powers alone, the pain went away.

Chroni...