Nearly 100 million Americans live with chronic pain. That’s a world of hurt. Chronic pain is defined as persistent pain that lasts more than three months. According to Johns Hopkins Medicine, “chronic pain is one of the most costly health problem in U.S.” When you add up lost wages, decreased productivity, medical costs, workman’s comp and legal fees, the price tag sores.
The recent uptick in abuse of opioids is another costly toll of chronic pain. For many users, the additive quality of these pain-relieving drugs actually creates far more suffering than they relieve.
Pain Awareness Month couldn’t have come at a better time.
Throughout September, the American Chronic Pain Association hopes to increase awareness for the causes and treatments of chronic pain.
For more than 35 years, the ACPA has offered peer support and education in pain management skills to people with pain, family and friends, and health care professionals. Their website offers helpful resources for people who experience pain from common strains and sprains to rare diseases.
Looking for strategies to help you manage pain? Check out the ACPA’s resources for a comprehensive list of diseases and conditions from ataxic cerebral palsy and dermatomyositis, to ulcerative colitis and whiplash.
