The study of medical treatment of pain is known as algology. There have been several bodies that are affiliated to algology, such as The Hellenic Society of Algology or the Turkish Algology-Pain Society. These bodies are all part of the community of the International Association for the Study of Pain. It is focused on studying acute and chronic pain problems, as well as the effect it has on the body, and how it can improve diagnostics. The main goal is to eliminate and understand pain.

Algology is relatively new study, but is has been mentioned in the past before. In the 1950s, it was mentioned by Bonica's as "algology.... A disease state of its own" which was addressing the growing number of pain patients. This was foreshadowed by Leriche, who saw the growing amount of pain patients as a rising epidemic. It wouldn't be until much more recently that algology would truly form a base for a scientific study.

A separate part of clinical practice, algologists are seen as the experts for treating painful syndromes. Doctors deal with people in pain every day, sometimes being unable to cure them of their pain. The only way someone could figure out a problem is small nuances in the person's pain behaviors, which are things that an algologist will look for.

Algology is a very new study, specializing immensely in pain and is a branch off modern medicine. Algologists are the people who are behind the anesthesiologists, as well as figuring out the cures for common ailments such as chronic back pain. All aspects of life are taken into consideration with algology, including the spiritual, physical, mental, social, and economic situation that a person is in.

Algologists will use the knowledge as well as training to figure out realistic treatments for a patient, and help plan a way for them to achieve their goals. There is no method developed yet for algologists to follow, because there is such an immense number of patients it is hard to figure out a pattern in people. Each person is a new, unique challenge and until further research is conducted, we won't be able to further our study into algology.

Algology is a super-focused subsection of medicine that is solely about pain. The pain epidemic has been on the immense rise since the 1990s, and doctors are struggling to figure out what to do about it. OxyContin was the answer for a while, until recently when they realized they were just making heroin addicts. More research is being conducted, and more and more it seems to be an environment and mindset of the person rather than a physical pain. As we learn more, the pain epidemic should cut back and algology will be at the forefront of that.

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