Spirituality, religion, and pain

Understanding the relationships between spirituality and health has become increasingly important in health research, including nursing research. Very little of the research thus far has focused on spirituality, religion, and pain even though spiritual views have been intertwined with beliefs about pain and suffering throughout history. Spiritual views can have a substantial impact on patients' understanding of pain and decisions about pain management. The author reviews the research literature on spirituality and pain from a historical perspective. The analysis is concerned with how spirituality and religion have been used to construct a meaning of pain that shapes appraisal, coping, and pain management. The clinical implications include respectful communication with patients about spirituality and pain, inclusion of spirituality in education and support programs, integration of spiritual preferences in pain management where feasible and appropriate, consultation with pastoral care teams, and reflection by nurses about spirituality in their own lives. A discussion of research implications is included.