The point of scientific research is to help us understand how the world works. It relies on figuring out ways to test theories about such things as pain and how to treat it. It relies on logic and reason. The point of marketing is to sell things – including treatments for pain. It relies on techniques that often use emotion and beliefs to get people to buy a product or service.

Some marketing techniques may use results of scientific research to sell something, presenting evidence to convince you to buy. Others may use a celebrity to say how good the product is (endorsement) or collect positive stories from users who have been helped (testimonials).

Testimonials and endorsements do not constitute particularly reliable evidence compared to scientific research but they work very well for marketing.  TV ads are full of them. Given what is at stake for those suffering from pain, I believe we should set the bar a little higher when it comes to chronic pain. In other words, if you are trying some treatment for pain, ask yourself if it is because of marketing that appeals to your emotions or evidence that is based on testing.