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Passage 5
Years ago, doctors often said that pain was a normal part of life. In particular, when older patients 36 of pain, they were told it was a natural part of aging and they would have to learn to live with it.
Times have changed. Today, we take pain 37 . Indeed, pain is now considered the fifth vital sign，as important as blood pressure, temperature, breathing rate and pulse in 38 a person’s wellbeing. We know that chronic (慢性的）pain can disrupt (扰乱）a person’s life, causing problems that 39 from missed work to depression.
That's why a growing number of hospitals now depend upon physicians who 40 in pain medicine. Not only do we evaluate the cause of the pain, which can help us treat the pain better，but we also help provide comprehensive therapy for depression and other psychological and social 41 related to chronic pain. Such comprehensive therapy often 42 the work of social workers, psychiatrists (心 理医生）and psychologists, as well as specialists in pain medicine.
This modern 43 for pain management has led to a wealth of innovative treatments which are more effective and with fewer side effects than ever before. Decades ago, there were only a 44 number of drugs available, and many of them caused 45 side effects in older people，including dizziness and fatigue. This created a double-edged sword： the medications helped relieve the pain but caused other problems that could be worse than the pain itself.
