The Blind Men and the Elephant: A Parable for Modern Pain Management

Feb 10, 2026 | Health Tech

Image Source: Richard A Lawhern PhD

Written by: Richard A Lawhern PhD

On behalf of: Life Science Daily News

Most of us have heard the ancient Indian and Buddhist parable “the blind men and the elephant.” Regardless of source, the parable usually contains these elements: A ruler assembles several blind men and brings an elephant before them. One feels the head and says the elephant is like a pot; another the ear and says…

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References:

US Pain Foundation, "The Impact of Pain in America", August 25, 2023, https://uspainfoundation.org/news/the-impact-of-pain-in-america/
Nadeau, SE, and Lawhern RA, " The Two Opioid Crises- Problems, Causes, and Potential Solutions: - An Analytic Review" Medical Research Archives of the Eur0pean Society of Medicine, December 21, 2023, https://esmed.org/MRA/mra/article/view/4846/99193547539
Szalavitz, M, "Entire Body is Shaking': Why Americans With Chronic Pain are Dying", NY Times Opinion, https://www.nytimes.com/2023/01/03/opinion/chronic-pain-suicides.html
Volkow ND and McLellan T, "Opioid Abuse in Chronic Pain — Misconceptions and Mitigation Strategies" N Engl J Med 2016;374:1253-63. https://med.uc.edu/docs/default-source/center-for-addiction-research/weekly/10-22-2021-opioid-abuse-in-chronic-pain---nejm.pdf?sfvrsn=eb006e42_2
Nadeau SE, Wu J and Lawhern RA, "Opioids and Chronic Pain - An Analytical Review of the Clinical Evidence", Frontiers in Pain Research, 16 August 2021, https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/pain-research/articles/10.3389/fpain.2021.721357/full
American Academy of Family Physicians, "Frontline Physicians Call on Politicians To End Political Interference in the Delivery of Evidence Based Medicine", May 15, 2019, https://www.aafp.org/news/media-center/more-statements/physicians-call-on-politicians-to-end-political-interference-in-the-delivery-of-evidence-based-medicine.html

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