Pain medicine specialists work with patients to relieve suffering and discomfort that may be present during a medical or surgical procedure, or because of a disease or condition. An anesthesiologist is a physician who has had special training and is board-certified in pain management. A pain medicine specialist can be an anesthesiologist, neurologist, or psychiatrist. This specialist is either the primary physician, or acts as a consultant, to coordinate a patient’s care with other physicians.

For chronic or severe pain, narcotics are often used. Narcotics carry with them a potential for side effects and addiction, so patients and physicians must weigh the level of pain against these concerns in the pain management process.

Doctor density varies by specialty and location. Hawaii has 30 practicing pain medicine doctors. Broken out by city, pain medicine doctor density in Aiea is 1, in Ewa Beach is 1, in Haleiwa is 1, in Hilo is 1, in Honolulu is 21, in Kahului is 1, in Kailua is 1, in Kailua Kona is 1, in Kihei is 1, in Kula is 2, and in Wailuku is 1.

One of the more popular vacation destinations in the world, Hawaii’s lush tropical environment invites all to relax and enjoy the outdoors. Popular Hawaiian activities include snorkeling, scuba diving, surfing, biking to one of Hawaii’s volcanoes, or enjoying a helicopter or horseback ride. Learn about Hawaii’s natural history and culture by attending a luau and watching a traditional hula dance. Hawaii’s population is 1,275,194, and the capital city is Honolulu. Statehood was achieved in 1959, making Hawaii our 50th state. Tourism is Hawaii's largest source of outside income. Visit the Polynesian Cultural Center, experience history at Pearl Harbor, or take a walk on Waikiki Beach, the world’s most famous shoreline.

According to 2005 Census estimates, Hawaii has a population of 1,275,194. Of this population, 198,087 are under the age of 18 and 162,565 are at or above the age of 65.