Wednesday, July 23, 2014

Pain Industry Statistics

The Real Effects of Pain

The economics, the emotional, and the physical pain cycle.

I was doing some research today for a Press Release, and I came across some amazing information.  This pain thing is bigger than we every thought!

So sure from the outside and very long distance it seems like a lot of people that have chronic pain and we feel like we could do something, but what do we do.  Can't they just take a pill?  Well, yes, they can take a pill to help the pain momentarily go away, but just like anything it comes with a price:


The Economics of Pain:

  • The total annual incremental cost of health care due to pain ranges from $560 billion to $635 billion (in 2010 dollars) in the United States, which combines the medical costs of pain care and the economic costs related to disability days and lost wages and productivity.  From Painmed.org 
This statement brings up a great jump off point for this article.  A $75 Billion dollar increase in health care costs, combines with lost wages and less qualified employees able to go to work.  I know that many people are wanting to jump on the Obamacare bandwagon at this point, but let's be straightforward, this was in 2010!!!  This statistic doesn't represent any political side here.  
And what can we say about lost wages except that when people have to pay higher premiums and make less money, well we see the effects.

  • Overall, workers lost an average of 4.6 hours per week of productive time due to a pain condition.
  • Lost productive time from common painful conditions was estimated to be $61.2 billion per year, while 76.6% of lost productive time was explained by reduced work performance, not absenteeism.  Painmed.org

The Emotional Connection of Pain

This brings me into the emotional ramifications of pain.  What happens when production goes down?  Profit and loss numbers change, then companies have to begin to make decisions, layoffs, and closings are next...

Now the individual that was in pain is starting to see financial problems arise and their emotional toll suffers.  Only to be intensified that NOW, they have lost health insurance and they are still in pain!  That's right, the pain just doesn't go away!  It leads to instances of depression, anxiety, and even suicide.  People start to turn to vices to help them get through a day, anything that can be done to help take their mind off their troubles and their physical pain.

  • Almost two-thirds (59%) reported an impact on their overall enjoyment of life.
  • More than three quarters of patients (77%) reported feeling depressed.
  • 70% said they have trouble concentrating.
  • 74% said their energy level is impacted by their pain.
  • 86% reported an inability to sleep well. Paimed.org
Terrifying numbers that good people have to endure every single day!

The Physical Effects of Pain

We understand that pain is a physical experience, but what does it mean to our bodies to experience chronic pain?  What can be the ramifications?  Many times when people experience physical pain that is consistent and severe they find themselves using prescription narcotics and Non steroidal anti inflammatory drugs, both of which have significant side effects, especially when used for an extended amount of time.  As a person's tolerance for a drug increases, it is not uncommon to find them increasing their dose, whether under the supervision of their physician or sometimes of their own decision.  We know that to be a dangerous place as all the narcotic pain killers carry with them a high risk for dependency.

When the emotional turmoil meets the dependency, we come to a very brutal road.  One that the individual may not come out of, ever.  This is a road that leads to broken homes, lost jobs, and sometimes jail or death.
  • Prescription painkillers are considered a major contributor to the total number of drug deaths. In 2007, for example, nearly 28,000 Americans died from unintentional drug poisoning, and of these, nearly 12,000 involved prescription pain relievers.(15)
  • Substance abuse treatment admissions for individuals age 50 or older nearly doubled from 1992 to 2008, climbing from 6.6 percent of all admissions to 12.2 percent. The percentage of primary admissions for prescription drug abuse among older individuals increased from 0.7 percent to 3.5 percent over the same time period.(19) painmed.org
These staggering numbers illustrate just how serious of a threat this really is.

I was amazed today when I saw these numbers, and felt it my duty to share them with you, the reader.  

The good news is,Natural Pain Relief is available and would help to change things.  Click the link to learn all about my favorite alternative....to be continued.

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