Abstract

While the analgesics and pain management has seen remarkable advancements, there are places, where still inhumane methods are employed. A brutal practice found in India is described and its existence in the era of modern analgesia and anesthesia is criticized.

Case Report

A patient presented with abdominal pain and was taken to a person in his village supposedly specializing in pain treatment (image1).

Image 1: The “specialist” proudly mentions that he knows what has to be done in a given type of pain and shows his instrument used to treat different types of pain.

While still in his village, the patient was treated by the “pain specialist” with a hot rod to “divert” his attention from the real pain. The hot rod left the marks seen in image 2. A few days later, the patient had to undergo laparotomy and a peptic perforation of the stomach was found.

Image 2: The “anti-pain” marks

The patient recovered and could return to his village. The “pain specialist” is still active.