September is Pain Awareness Month

All of our patients deal with chronic pain, and everyone who lives with it is different, but what we all have in common is the need to have our voices heard by medical professionals and others. So often chronic pain is looked at as either a psychiatric problem or as hypochondriac. But really, 20% of adults (OVER 50 MILLION PEOPLE!) have high impact chronic pain.

Chronic pain not only affects your physical health, but it also affects your emotions, relationships, and overall quality of life. September has been declared Pain Awareness Month. This is a time when different organizations, including Actify Physiotherapy, work to raise public awareness regarding chronic pain and pain management. 

The first Pain Awareness Month was in 2001, and was created to bring light to just how many people deal with chronic illness on a daily basis. For those of us with chronic pain, sometimes it is hard to talk about. 

You may think, “I have to deal with it every day, there is no use in talking about it”, but, bringing awareness can help you engage with others in the community and learn about yourself. Here are some examples of how you can get involved:

-Talk with your friends and family, whether it’s on social media or in person, and  getting your story out and heard will not only be beneficial for you, but also possibly for others!

-Talk with your healthcare providers and tell them that September is Pain Awareness Month. 

- Call your local government and community leaders to educate them on chronic pain and pain awareness month. Ask them if they have heard of any ongoing issues about pain and pain management in your area!

- Share with us and others what chronic pain means to you. How has it changed you for the better? What has it taught you about yourself?

Sources:

https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/67/wr/mm6736a2.htm#:~:text=An%20estimated%2020.4%25%20(50.0%20million,adults%2C%20adults%20living%20in%20poverty%2C

https://www.theacpa.org/pain-awareness/