Theme of the symposium

Pain is the main reason for medical consultations (almost 2/3 of consultations in all categories) and is a real public health issue. There are two main types of pain: acute pain, which is a physiological alarm indicating an alteration or a risk of alteration in the physical integrity of an individual, and chronic pain, which lasts beyond the initial cause and then becomes a chronic disease. The latter has a strong impact on the affected individuals, both physically and mentally, greatly reducing their personal, social and professional quality of life. In Europe, the proportion of adults who suffer or have suffered from chronic pain is estimated to be around 20%, with a high socio-economic cost. Unfortunately, chronic pain is extremely difficult to treat, with more than half of patients not being treated or being under-treated. This underlines the importance of research in the field of pain, to better understand the underlying mechanisms, find alternatives and/or improve existing treatments in order to better address and relieve patients.