ABSTRACT
No way can professional listening ever be construed as ‘simple’, nor can the listener be considered a simple container. In practice most physicians listen for clues about the disease rather than the patient. There are very few fortunate people whose personalities and life experience allow them to be naturally empathetic, deep listeners. The most important part of this encounter was non-verbal. This listening encounter demonstrates the vast difference in complexity in listening to the patient versus listening to the disease. On a practical level, it is well known that patients with chronic back pain have a high incidence of depression. Back pain not only disables physically, it also adversely impacts emotional and spiritual well-being. Boredom, absence of meaning, loss of income, frustration and despondency might cause some to smoke and eat more. Listening in this situation enables the clinician to hear the patient and offer the support needed to lessen the risk of chronic disability.
