TEDX: Chronic Pain – Shedding the Second Dark Age

The journey of medicine from mysticism and faith to science was not an easy nor a short one. When medicine finally emerged into the light of the Enlightenment, it allowed for the modern world as we know it. But for millions of Americans suffering from chronic pain, it has not been enough. Now medicine must emerge from a new dark age. And ironically enough, road leads back through the murky world of belief. Award-winning science journalist Erik Vance – a Mexico City-based writer who has been poked, prodded, burned, electrocuted, hypnotized and even cursed by a witch doctor – all in the name of science and in his journey to unlock the hidden power of the brain. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community.