[Infographic] Pain Awareness Month: Are You One of the 100 Million?

As September comes to an end, so does Pain Awareness Month in America. There’s no question that being in severe acute or chronic pain is miserable; with over 300 million people in the United States, the fact that one-third of the population struggles with pain is deserving of a month dedicated to its awareness.

To honor Pain Awareness Month, we’d like to shed light on how widespread acute and chronic pain is in the United States with this infographic provided by National Institutes of Health. Below the infographic, you’ll also find some statistics and other key resources you need to know about chronic pain:

National Institutes of Health Pain Infographic:*

8 Key Stats & Resources

• Of the 100 million adults in American suffering from chronic pain, half struggle with daily pain.
• The most common types of pain are low back pain, severe headaches or migraines, and neck pain.
• Pain is the oldest medical problem and attempting to relieve one's pain dates back to the 17th century – it wasn’t until the 1800s when doctors began seriously experimenting with other means to reduce pain.
• Women are at greater risk of developing chronic pain conditions than men.
• Chronic pain can also affect the human emotional state, such as depression, anger, anxiety, and fear.
• In a study of 100,000 patients suffering from chronic pain, 86% (or 86,000) reported an inability to sleep well because of pain.
• In the same survey, 74% (or 74,000) suffered from reduced energy levels.
• In a national survey, seven in ten Americans felt that pain management and research should be one of the medical community’s high priorities.

There’s Hope for a Pain-Free Future

Just as a cardiologist treats the heart and a dermatologist treats the skin, pain management physicians treat all forms of acute or chronic pain from head to toe. The challenge is making people aware that there are highly trained, broad-certified doctors who specialize in treating pain.

We’d like to thank the National Institutes of Health for preparing this infographic.