What is a patient's pain motivation and how do I find it? The pain motivation is the real reason this person showed up, and it is the single most useful thing you can learn at the consult. Ask plainly, what motivated you to come see us today? They may repeat what they told you on the phone, they may say the same thing differently, or they may come out of far right field with a brand new reason. Whatever it is, write it down, because it points the whole treatment discussion. You get a few chances to surface this across the [...]