Chronic pain is an individual and collective problem all across the developed world. Treatments for chronic pain can often be ineffective or based on a system of trial and error. Defined by NICE, the UK’s National Institute of Clinical Excellence, as the following:
“Pain in one or more anatomical regions, that is characterised by significant emotional distress, anxiety, anger/frustration or depressed mood, functional disability, or interference in daily life activities and reduced participation in social roles. Chronic primary pain is multifactorial with conditions such as arthritis, back pain, and psychological social factors contributing to the pain syndrome.”
Chronic pain in over 16s: assessment and management – NATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR HEALTH AND CARE EXCELLENCE
Bearing in mind this definition, it is easy to see how chronic pain would affect an individual person suffering from chronic pain syndrome. In the U.K., chronic pain affects between a third and a half of the population, with a corresponding cost to the NHS. Also, almost half of the people who have been given a chronic pain diagnosis, have also been diagnosed as suffering from depression. On top of these two problems, two thirds of the individuals so diagnosed, are unable to work outside the home. Considering these statistics, we begin to see the complexity and scale of these problems.
Studies of disability show that pain contributes to most disability cases with a concomitant loss to the workforce and huge financial implications for both society and the N.H.S.
In the year 2016, £537 million was spent on analgesic drugs with around a further £270 million pounds being spent on anti-epileptic medicines.
On top of these costs, there is the economic dimension with problems such as absenteeism and poor productivity due to disability and poor health in the workforce. Conditions such as arthritis and back pain account for one third of all disability claims in the U.K. and the cost of loss of productivity in this country due to back pain has been estimated to be running at between £5 billion and £7 billion.
Against problems of this magnitude, one clinic with a handful of therapists can do very little – but for many years now the Complementary Medicine Centre has been offering acupuncture, homeopathy, hypnotherapy and CBT treatments to chronic pain sufferers. We have found that these complementary treatments have been of great help in alleviating the worst of these chronic pain patients symptoms. If you want to know how we could help you with your chronic pain, get in touch today.