Facts about Pain

• About 89% of Americans suffer from pain at least once a month.
• 90% of all diseases may be associated with pain.
• Older pain sufferers are considerably less likely than younger pain sufferers to talk to family and friends about pain.
• More than half of adults report that they prefer to be alone when in pain. Women are more likely to want to be alone when in pain.
• While tension and stress are significant causes of pain for both men and women, they are the leading causes of pain among women.
• Some pain conditions caused by changes in the nervous system are almost impossible to see, even when you use state-of-the-art tests.
• The most common reason a person visits his or her primary care physician is pain.
• Preliminary research indicates that 8-10 glasses of water a day could significantly ease back and joint pain for up to 80% of sufferers.
• A woman's arthritic pains will almost always disappear as soon as she becomes pregnant. No one knows why.
• Only the person with pain knows how much pain there is. There are no tests, scans, or physical changes that can measure how much pain a person is having.
• There are many methods in addition to medicine that can be used to reduce pain: relaxation techniques, hot or cold packs, massage, pressure or vibration, hypnosis, distraction, biofeedback, transcutaneous electrical stimulation (TENS), exercises, ultrasound, acupuncture.

Back Pain

• Back pain is one of the most common reasons for missed work. In fact, back pain is the second most common reason for visits to the doctor’s office, outnumbered only by upper-respiratory infections.
• Back pain is the leading cause of disability in Americans under 45 years old. Two thirds of American adults will have back pain during their lifetime.
• Most cases of back pain are mechanical or non-organic - meaning they are not caused by serious conditions.
• Being obese and wearing high-heel shoes are not risk factors for back pain. In numerous investigative studies, risk factors that are established include prolonged driving, a sedentary occupation with prolonged sitting, a high number of pregnancies and poor overall physical fitness.
• Back and neck pain result in more lost work days than any other condition.
• 80-90% of back pain resolves itself within a month to six weeks.
• According to the National Pain Foundation, less than 15% of diagnosed back pain cases can be attributed to a particular cause.
• Experts estimate that as many as 80% of the population will experience a back problem at some time in our lives.
• Black women are two to three times more likely than white women to have part of the lower spine slip out of place.
• Poor posture, unaccustomed lifting, prolonged driving and uncomfortable mattresses can cause back pain.
• Most strains and injuries in the back occur when repeating previously successful actions.
• Half of all pregnant women suffer from back pain at some time before they deliver.

Sciatica

• Sciatica is a common type of pain affecting the sciatic nerve, a large nerve extending from the lower back down the back of each leg.
• Sciatica usually affects only one side of the lower body. Often, the pain extends from the lower back all the way through the back of the thigh and down through the leg. Depending on where the sciatic nerve is affected, the pain may also extend to the foot or toes.