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Online Strauss Public Lecture Series: Understanding Human Pain & Relief
Venue: Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine, Roanoke
Directions: Google Map Link
Date: Thursday, November 19, 2020
Time: 5:30 - 6:30 PM
Event Types: Speaking Engagements
Cost: Free

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Description:
The Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at the Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine continues the 2020-21 Strauss Public Lecture Series online with the talk titled "Understanding Human Pain, Relief and Altered States of Consciousness Using Brain Imaging" on Thursday, November 19, 2020.

The ability to experience pain is old in evolutionary terms. It is an experience shared across species. Acute pain is the body’s alarm system, and as such it is a good thing. Pain that persists beyond normal tissue healing time (3-4 months) is defined as chronic – it is the system gone wrong and it is not a good thing. Chronic pain has recently been classified as both a symptom and disease in its own right. It is one of the largest medical health problems worldwide with one in five adults diagnosed with the condition.

Chronic pain is more prevalent in the elderly and in women for reasons we do not yet understand. It is associated with comorbid depression and anxiety, which combined produces untold suffering and a major financial burden to society (e.g. the cost of chronic pain in the USA is thought to be over $600 billion per annum). Most of our treatments don't work very well and, in part, the consequent burden of suffering has led to the opioid epidemic witnessed in the USA and other parts of the world. We must do better.

Advanced neuroimaging studies can powerfully aid explanation of a subject’s multidimensional pain experience, pain relief (analgesia) and even what makes them vulnerable to developing chronic pain. The application of this goes beyond the clinic and has relevance in courts of law, and other areas of society, such as in veterinary care. All of these issues will be discussed in Dr. Tracey's talk.

The talk is available for free on YouTube at: https://fbri.vtc.vt.edu/events/live-webcast.html.

To register for this free event on Zoom, visit: https://fbri.vtc.vt.edu/events/maury-strauss-distinguished-public-lectures/2020-11-19-can-we-ever-really-see-pain.html.

The Fralin Biomedical Research Institute Maury Strauss Distinguished Public Lecture Series brings nationally renowned experts to the Roanoke community. The free public lectures are open to members of the general public as well as to Virginia Tech and Carilion Clinic faculty, students, and staff. Due to the pandemic, these lectures will be offered virtually for the foreseeable future.

For more information, visit: https://vtnews.vt.edu/articles/2020/11/leading-pain-researcher-to-discuss-efforts-to--see--why-we-hurt-.html or https://fbri.vtc.vt.edu/events/maury-strauss-distinguished-public-lectures.html or https://vtnews.vt.edu/articles/2020/08/expert-on-the-tiny-conspiracies-of-bacteria-kicks-off-2020-21-ma.html.