1 in 12 in the United States lives with intrusive chronic pain

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.