What Is Pain and What Helps? – Pain Awareness Month

Continuing the coverage of national health months, September is recognized by the American Chronic Pain Association as Pain Awareness Month. Established in 2001, the goals of pain awareness month are “to create a greater understanding of chronic pain among healthcare providers, patients and the community, reduce stigma associated with chronic pain and break down barriers to effective pain management,” according to the Pain Center.

Pain, as defined by the International Association for the Study of Pain is, “an unpleasant sensory and emotional experience associated with, or resembling that associated with, actual or potential tissue damage.”

Statistically, nearly 100 million Americans experience chronic pain, and 50 million of those suffer from chronic pain daily, according to the ACPA. That’s more than people with diabetes, heart disease and cancer combined. An average 1 in 4 Americans have suffered from pain that lasts longer than 24 hours.

Pain is the leading cause of disability in the U.S. as well as a major contributor to health care costs for the average patient. Chronic pain can be musculoskeletal, neuropathic, functional pain syndromes, chronic pain after surgery, complex regional pain syndrome or cancer pain, among others. Common examples of common pain are arthritis and headaches.

For pain awareness month, if you experience chronic pain, you can visit the ACPA’s website for resources on how to communicate with health care providers about your pain to ensure you’re receiving the care you need to manage and treat your pain. With both interactive and printable materials, the ACPA helps people quantify their pain levels and understand their pain easier.

At TRA Medical Imaging, we help you address pain in various areas of the body through diagnostic imaging and therapeutic treatments. Our DEXA bone densitometry scans measure bone loss and diagnose osteoporosis, helping prevent serious bone damage and our Vein and Vascular Center provide treatment options for those facing chronic leg pain due to venous insufficiency.

For more information about our services, click here.