Chronic pain prevalence in the United States

October 2, 2018   |   Evidence in Integrative Healthcare

The National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health Care reports in a September 2018 article, chronic pain and ‘high-impact’ chronic pain (daily pain affecting at least one major life activity), are on the rise in specific populations. Providers are encouraged to pay special attention to women, older adults, adults not currently employed, living in poverty, non-Hispanic white adults or adults living in rural settings. These populations have the highest prevalence and may warrant more detailed history and treatment to support more successful outcomes with treatment. Helping patients regain function should be included in all early stage care plans. Active care including exercises, stretches and mind-body awareness to support any manual therapies will produce better outcomes.