Pharmacy Daily | Pain grips millions in a ‘vicious cycle’

CHRONIC pain is "wreaking havoc" on the lives of millions of Australians, not just personally but economically and socially, revealed the 2024 National Pain Survey, involving nearly 2,600 individuals.

Coinciding with the launch of National Pain Week (22-28 Jul), the survey highlighted that this invisible condition affects 3.6 million Australians and burdens the entire community.

Nicolette Ellis, President of Chronic Pain Australia, said the survey revealed that chronic pain is a "vicious cycle wrecking havoc" for millions of Australians living with chronic pain.

She added pain is "huge drain on society" more generally.

"Chronic pain is taking far too long to diagnose, and multidisciplinary pain management, which offers the best hope for controlling this complex condition, remains largely inaccessible," stressed Ellis.

Nearly half of the survey respondents reported having to stop working due to their pain, while almost 30% had to reduce their hours.

This is particularly concerning as 47% of respondents are in their prime earning years of 25 to 64 years old, the survey found.

The condition's strain extends beyond work, damaging personal relationships; two-thirds felt their pain strained family relationships, over 60% experienced reduced intimacy, and nearly half struggled with childcare activities.

The survey highlighted significant delays in diagnosis, with 45% of respondents waiting over three years for it.

Women and non-binary individuals also faced similar diagnostic delays affecting nearly half of women and almost 60% of non-binary respondents.

Despite multidisciplinary care being the gold standard for treating chronic pain, only one in five respondents had access to such care programs.

Of those who did receive multidisciplinary care, 72% would recommend it.

Ellis emphasised the need for accessible multidisciplinary pain management programs.

"Without access to patient-centred, multidisciplinary care, people living with chronic pain are at risk of a lifetime of disability that leads to serious mental health issues," commented Ellis.

"This should be a priority for any government that wants to increase productivity and promote the well-being of its citizens." JG