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Introduction to Chronic Pain 9

has healed, such as an infection or injury. And sometimes chronic pain has no identifiable trigger, meaning there is no prior injury or tissue damage. In this case, the cause cannot be determined, and the patient is unable to receive proper treat- ment and recover. In other cases, chronic pain is related to cer- tain medical conditions, such as arthritis, low back pain, migraine, and multiple sclerosis. Chronic pain can cause people who are normally very active to be bedridden. It can even lead to depression and sui- cide, particularly if the pain is really severe and relief is scarce. How Many People Have Chronic Pain? Chronic pain has become so prevalent that the Institute of Medicine referred to the situation a crisis . The American Pain Society reported in 2015 that nearly 50 million adults in the United States suffer from chronic pain or severe pain. As more people become afflicted with chronic pain, even more individ- uals—including family and friends—are affected. The total number of people directly and indirectly affected by chronic pain is therefore much higher than 50 million. Chronic pain is also a significant health concern in Canada, where one in five individuals suffered from chronic pain in 2010. The impact of chronic pain on patients, family members, and friends in Canada is similar to what such individuals in the United States experience. To help combat the difficulties of living with chronic pain, patients are often prescribed painkillers. The problem with painkillers is that they are highly addictive and do not treat the source of the problem.