Introduction:

Pain as an unpleasant subjective experience is a frequent symptom in patients treated by the Hematology service. This affects the individual on a psychological level and causes the onset of difficulties in the work, educational, family and interpersonal relationships. The perception of pain can be distorted as a result of this alteration caused in the patient.

Objective:

To analyze the psychological factors that mediate patients’ perception of pain.

Methods:

A literature review was carried out through the PubMed website and the search engine of Google Scholar. The following keywords were used: dolor [pain], manejo del dolor [pain management], evaluación del dolor [pain assessment], psicología del dolor [pain psychology], dolor en hematología [pain in hematology], dolor en drepanocitosis [pain in sickle cell disease], dolor en hemofilia [pain in hemophilia], dolor en leucemia [pain in leukemia].

Information analysis and synthesis:

The multifaceted nature of this subjective experience is evidenced. Pain determinants and mechanisms are diverse, which implies that their coping requires a comprehensive approach that helps patients develop awareness about the disease effects and the pain symptoms. It is also necessary to guide them in understanding the factors that contribute to pain magnification, create strategies that help them minimize pain exposure, and guide them to develop personal methods that allow them to deal with pain with minimal psychological stress.

Conclusions:

Pain is a complex phenomenon involving several variables and factors in its operation. Its management requires a comprehensive approach to patient care regarding coping with pain.

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