Pain Isn’t Why Patients Show Up
2 Jun 2026 · 1 min
0:48
In this brief monologue, Jeff Langmaid argues that patients do not seek care because they simply want relief from pain; rather, they come because pain blocks them from valued activities such as grocery shopping or travel. He stresses the need for clinicians to probe the functional motivations behind a patient’s visit—what the patient wants to do that pain prevents. By articulating these motivations, providers can better explain the purpose and necessity of treatment. Langmaid warns that offering only short‑term symptom relief (e.g., a few adjustments) without addressing the underlying functional limitation leads to repeat visits, higher cumulative costs, and wasted time and energy for both patient and practice.
