Study: Most Americans Report Being In Pain

WMUR-TV ^ | October 8, 2003 | WMUR Reporters

[AlwaysLurking]

Study: Most Americans Report Being In Pain Doctors Recommend More Research Into Pain Treatment

POSTED: 4:16 p.m. EDT October 8, 2003

It's being called an epidemic that is cutting deep into the quality of life for adults across America -- millions of people dealing with recurrent or chronic pain every day. A poll done by a nonprofit medical and health advocacy organization shows that 57 percent of Americans reported having pain the past year, and 40 percent reported that they are in pain all the time.

"It's daily, drop-to-your-knees intense pain," chronic-pain sufferer Beth Bunce said. "You cannot function."

The Research American study showed that people ages 18 to 34 were only slightly less likely than older Americans to suffer pain.

"This survey should serve as a wakeup call to all Americans -- including elected officials -- that chronic pain is a problem of epidemic proportions in this country," Research American President Mary Woolley said. "The results clearly indicate the taxpayers want more money spent on research."

The survey also showed that many believe Americans view pain as a personal weakness instead of a misfortune or disease that can be treated.

"There is a widespread misunderstanding about the prevalence and the debilitating effects of pain in America today," Dr. Eliot Cole said. "And it is sad that in a country that is so technologically advanced that we do heart transplants, we still don't have good strategies for the management of pain."

The survey shows more than half, 57 percent, would be willing to pay $1 a week to increase funding for research that would help put an end to pain for millions of people.

"Your quality of life is totally dependent upon your functionality, and you do not realize that until you cannot function and you have no quality of life," Cole said. Copyright 2003 by TheWMURChannel. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed

[polemikos]

Most Americans Report Being In Pain

Anytime I watch broadcast news, I am so afflicted.

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[L`enn]

The hell with the $1 per week to increase funding, just prescribe medicine that works instead of giving you crap like Tylenol, Advil, Aleve, Vioxx or Flexeril. The medical community is so in fear of being busted by DEA bureaucrats they are not serving their patients.

[Plutarch]

...40 percent reported that they are in pain all the time.

This fact demonstrates why doctors are so "uncaring" in not prescribing opioids (e.g. oxycontin) to patients complaining of pain. A significant percentage of a doctor's patients are in "pain". If the doctor prescribes opioids to these patients, a significant percentage of these will become addicted. What's more, patients seeking medications will beat a path to the doctors door. Soon, the doctor finds that his waiting room is chock full of addicts.

[Ditter]

I must be one of the lucky ones. At 63 I have very little pain. Miagraines were a problem a couple of years ago but they seem to have stopped.

[goodnesswins]

I guess it depends upon what the "meaning of pain" is.

[jess35]

This fact demonstrates why doctors are so "uncaring" in not prescribing opioids (e.g. oxycontin) to patients complaining of pain. A significant percentage of a doctor's patients are in "pain". If the doctor prescribes opioids to these patients, a significant percentage of these will become addicted

Drugs like OxyContin were developed for people with prolonged moderate to severe pain. For people with chronic pain, the physical addiction to Opioids is preferable to not being able to function at all.

[Prospero]

The interesting part of the article, other tham the huge numbers, is the perception of weakness. That may have something to do with the lack of organization among those with chronic pain to pressure Nanny legislators to get the DEA to climb down their high horse about the kind of pain management increasingly recommended by the medical societies.

If those folks would organize, the whole misinformed moralizing about including pain management in the War on (Some) Drugs would end.

Where is AARP?

[Monty22]

Frankly, this is more result of the liberalization and feminizing of America. 40% my ass.

[I still care]

I live in chronic pain. It stinks, to put it mildly. Somedays I can barely function at all, and the doctors really have no help for me.

If there is one thing this business with Rush has done, it has focused attention on the options for treating chronic, severe pain (or the lack of them.)

[Howie]

"I live in chronic pain. It stinks, to put it mildly."

Same here. I wake up about once a month without excruciating pain but it never lasts for very long. I have the herniated discs in the neck thing like Rush has.

Surgery just made it worse. Thankfully I have a doctor that still prescribes opiates, when I can't get them any longer I have only one option, the lead pill.

Sometimes I can get by with the milder Ultram but sometimes for months I must take the dreaded Hydrocodone. I don't tell my friends and neighbors anymore for fear of the stigma attached to pain-killers.

I am lucky I guess for I don't feel any euphoric effect from the pills at all.

When I don't hurt I don't crave the drug at all, even after years of use.

The world really does need a better painkiller, though.

[Marie]

Or Motrin. Honestly, I don't want stronger drugs. What good does it do to be out of pain if I can't think or function anyway?

[Hawkeye's Girl]

The hell with the $1 per week to increase funding, just prescribe medicine that works instead of giving you crap like Tylenol, Advil, Aleve, Vioxx or Flexeril. The medical community is so in fear of being busted by DEA bureaucrats they are not serving their patients.

Well said.

[Hawkeye's Girl]

Do you mind if I ask you something?

I've been on hydrocodone, Demerol, and Morphine for stuff, and in every single case, it just dulled the pain to the point where I could tolerate it. None of them eliminated the pain, and I never felt any different on any of them from my normal state; I didn't feel happy, or high, or drugged, or anything.

Is this how they work in everyone or am I just weird?

[Yaelle]

My heart goes out to all of you in pain.

I must remember to thank G-d daily that I am not in any pain. I get migraines, more when I am not breastfeeding as I currently am, but even though their pain is intense, sometimes ibuprofin helps, and if not, Imitrex wipes out about 95% of them.

I feel very blessed. I hope I do remember that many of my fellow FReepers are suffering. My G-d, my dear L-rd, I just couldn't imagine. I wish everyone was pain free all the time.

[Consort]

Dr. Zachary Smith: "The pain! The pain!"

[Caipirabob]

My prayers out to our fellow FReepers who are living in constant pain, be it from Cancer, accidents, injuries or things like herniated disks which are being discussed on this thread. Several of those close to me are afflicted by the same. It's very difficult to watch and not be able to do a blessed thing. Except pray.

As it's been stated to me about such pain "Some days, the Dragon wins".

[GailA]

Same here, 5 deteroited disc and Fibro Myalgia. I am one of those who can't take pain meds, beyond those OC ones. They've tried over the years to give me vicadent, tylenol 3, etc and all I do is spend the next few hours hugging the toilet puking my guts up, which only adds to my misery.

When the pain gets to bad I take 2 asprin then an hour later boost it with a dose of advil, seems to make a difference. At least it 'lowers' the level of pain so I can function better.

[OpusatFR]

You aren't weird at all. I took Tylox which is a pretty good pain medication. The pain is muted. It is still there but it is numbed somewhat. I can telll you from cancer pain, which in my case felt like having that part of the body burned in a fire. It was just a constant burn, there, but numbed at bit so you can sleep a bit. For those who have never lived with intractable pain, imagine placing your entire hand on the burner of a stove for a moment. The resulting burn is the constant pain. Just magnify the body area and you have it.