This year, Patient Worthy will have the privilege to cover one of the planet’s foremost patient centered events on chronic pain: The International Pain Summit, which will be held from November 14th-16 in Los Angeles, CA this year. This event is organized by the International Pain Foundation (iPain), a nonprofit organization that is committed to improving access to quality treatment for patients with a diverse array of ailments that inflict chronic pain. The group fulfills this mission by offering access to care-based projects as well as spreading awareness and education about chronic pain.
What is Chronic Pain?
Chronic pain is effectively any pain that is long-lasting in duration. While the precise definition of chronic pain is not necessarily clear, any pain that lasts more than a few months can be considered chronic pain. There are countless medical phenomena, both rare and otherwise, that can inflict chronic pain. Many people suffering from rare diseases describe chronic pain as one of the greatest challenges presented by their illness. People dealing with chronic pain are at an increased risk of other health problems. Many people with chronic pain tend to avoid physical activity in an effort to prevent pain from worsening, often leading to higher rates of obesity. Chronic pain also increases a person’s risk of mental health challenges, such as depression, anxiety, and difficulty sleeping.
iPain Summit 2019
The iPain Summit will equip attendees with the knowledge they need to manage their chronic pain. Participants will gain an understanding of the scientific mechanisms that cause pain and learn about the latest treatment approaches. They will also hear directly from caregivers and patients about how to navigate the US healthcare system in order to improve access to treatment. Attendees will also learn about the latest in pain research in terms that they can understand clearly. The event will feature to tracks that will focus on one of two topics: access to care and pain education.
We will be providing live coverage of the event on social media via Twitter and Instagram, so be sure to check our social media (@patientworthy) over the weekend and look out for the hashtags #NERVEmber, #iPainSummit, and #iPainSummit2019.
To learn more about the summit, click here.
