Background facts

• Top 4 quality of life changing restrictions due to illness or accident are: back pain, musculoskeletal disorders, cervical headache and neck pain [1][2].

• It comes as no surprise that pain is one of the main reasons why patients seek medical help [3].

• Chronic pain is a burden not only for the individual suffering from the condition, but also as for society as a whole. Depending on the study cited up to 30% of the world’s population suffers from chronic pain [4] and about 10-15% of chronic pain conditions can be classified as moderate to severe [5].

Consequence
• 19% of affected persons lose their job due to pain related reasons
• 18% suffer from pain-related depression
• 13% have even considered suicide

Treatment
• 60% of pain patients consult a physician 2-9 times within 6 months
• 75% have received medical massages (30%), physiotherapy (21%), and acupuncture (13%)
• 75% take painkillers every day
• Only few have been treated by a certified pain physician!

Patients’ opinion
• 77 % of affected pain patients feel that their therapy is inadequate [6].

Referenzen
1. Murray CJ, Abraham J, Ali MK, Alvarado M, Atkinson C, Baddour LM, et al. The state of US health, 1990-2010: burden of diseases, injuries, and risk factors. Jama. 2013;310(6):591–606.
2. Cohen SP, Vase L, Hooten WM. Chronic pain: an update on burden, best practices, and new advances. Lancet Lond Engl. 2021 May 29;397(10289):2082–97.
3. Sauver JLS, Warner DO, Yawn BP, Jacobson DJ, McGree ME, Pankratz JJ, et al. Why patients visit their doctors: assessing the most prevalent conditions in a defined American population. In: Mayo Clinic Proceedings. Elsevier; 2013. p. 56–67.
4. Dahlhamer J, Lucas J, Zelaya, C, Nahin R, Mackey S, DeBar L, et al. Prevalence of Chronic Pain and High-Impact Chronic Pain Among Adults — United States, 2016. Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2018 Sep 14;67(36):1001–6.
5. Fayaz A, Croft P, Langford RM, Donaldson LJ, Jones GT. Prevalence of chronic pain in the UK: a systematic review and meta-analysis of population studies. BMJ Open. 2016;6(6):e010364.
6. Breivik H, Collett B, Ventafridda V, Cohen R, Gallacher D. Survey of chronic pain in Europe: Prevalence, impact on daily life, and treatment. Eur J Pain. 2006 May 1;10(4):287–333.