Biography
Pain management is the day-to-day activity of McGill's Alan Edwards Pain Management Unit at the Montreal General Hospital, one of the world's premier pain clinics. Patients at the clinic suffer from musculoskeletal pain, cancer pain or trauma, neuropathic pain - and their conditions often don't have a real name.
The Pain Management Unit is an innovative example of the multidisciplinary approach to pain management, employing a team of 25 physicians, physiotherapists, psychologists, nurses and other specialists. The clinic is operating beyond capacity and its waiting list can stretch to over a year. This is a testament to the growing problem of persistent pain in an aging population. Staff work in groups to help people manage their pain through a wide range of approaches, from physiotherapy and medications to group therapy and even complementary and alternative medicine.
