Chronic Pain
Chronic pain is a serious health condition that may impact all aspects of a person’s life. There are many strategies that can help to manage and minimize its effects.
You Are Not Alone
Around 20% of U.S. adults experience chronic pain, and it accounts for 15-20% of doctor’s visits each year. Chronic pain can be irritating, persistent, and discouraging, but you are not alone. There are doctors, patients, public health advocates, and others dedicated to innovating and improving treatment paths. Patient-centered treatment plans that integrate medical and holistic approaches are helping to make chronic pain more manageable.
There is Hope
While there is no cut-and-dry “cure” for chronic pain, symptoms can be managed and there are many treatment options that can help reduce pain, increase mobility, and improve quality of life. Researchers continue to study pain disorders and make advancements in neuroscience and biotechnology. At this very moment, cutting-edge treatment technologies are being developed around the globe.
Steve’s Story
After a life-changing back injury, Steve lived in chronic pain for the remainder of his life. Without treatment, the pain was debilitating, and he compared the sensations to electric shocks running up and down his spine. Steve was prescribed opioids to help with his pain, but the medication was not a sustainable long-term treatment solution for him. Steve’s story is a reminder of how seriously chronic pain must be taken, and how much work still needs to be done to improve treatment for patients.