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FRIDAY, Sept. 14, 2018 (HealthDay News) – Of the 50 million Americans living with chronic pain, the pain is so severe for 20 million people that it prevents them from conducting their daily activities, according to researchers .
According to a report from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, chronic pain and chronic high-impact pain are more common among women, the elderly, the poor, those with public health insurance or living in rural areas .
Chronic pain is not only widespread, but is also the cause of the opioid epidemic, said Dr. David Katz, director of the Center for Prevention Research at Yale University in New Haven, New York. Connecticut.
"The crisis that precipitated the opioid crisis – the high prevalence of chronic pain requiring relief," he said.
The CDC report recalls that an epidemic of chronic pain existed before it was aggravated by an epidemic of opioid misuse, said Katz, who did not participate in the new study.
Chronic pain should be avoided more often and treated with compassion, efficiency and safety, he added. "Efforts to limit the harms of opioid analgesics can not lead to neglect of patient pain," said Katz.
According to the authors of the study, chronic pain and chronic high-impact pain are associated with mobility and daily activity restrictions, opioid dependence, anxiety, depression and to a poor quality of life.
According to researchers, in addition to the suffering of millions of Canadians, chronic pain costs about $ 560 billion each year in medical expenses, lost productivity, and disability programs.
In light of these problems, traditional medicine needs to adopt valid approaches to pain management other than drugs, Katz suggested.
"It's already an established goal among those who are dedicated to cutting-edge pain management, but it must become the usual standard of care," he said.
Care must be more holistic and patient-centered, Katz said.
A prescription for an opioid is a quick and easy response from a busy doctor. "But the suffering patient could improve with better sleep, reduced stress and relief from loneliness," Katz said.
Dr. Mark Bicket, an assistant professor of anesthesiology at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, said that effective pain management must be a team effort. "An appropriate treatment for chronic pain is not limited to drugs," he explained.
Chronic pain management effectively involves a group of physicians, physiotherapists and others, as well as activities such as yoga or meditation, said Bicket.
And non-narcotic analgesics – such as Aleve or Tylenol – can be just as effective in controlling chronic pain. In general, a combination of analgesic and exercise or physical therapy is the most effective way to manage chronic pain, he added.
"If you live with chronic pain, you're not alone," Bicket said. "And you deserve to have a discussion about the different options for treating your pain."
The researchers, led by James Dahlhamer of the CDC's National Center for Health Statistics, released their findings on September 14 in the CDC. Weekly report on morbidity and mortality.
More information
Visit the US National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke to find out more about chronic pain.
SOURCES: David Katz, M.D., Director, Center for Prevention Research at Yale University, New Haven, Conn .; Mark Bicket, M.D., Assistant Professor of Anesthesiology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore; September 14, 2018, Weekly report on morbidity and mortality
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