At Avalon Laser Health, we treat acute and chronic pain conditions. This blog will be our way of sharing the information we gain treating our patients and through direct study.
SOME EFFECTS OF PAIN IN THE WORKFORCE
Just less than 40% of the population deals with chronic pain (defined as lasting longer than 6 months) on a daily basis. The costs associated with chronic pain are significant. In the workforce, we see absenteeism and reduced worker performance. 95% of those living with chronic pain report that they go in to work most days unless they feel too ill to manage. This situation is described as “presenteeism” and results in low productivity , an inability to do the job required and may leave the worker at greater risk for on the job injury. Equally relevant are the personal costs of living with chronic pain; the psycho-social issues that affect family life, normal activities and routines, self-concept and expectations for the future.
When the reasons for chronic pain are analysed, researchers show that musculoskeletal pain is seen as the top target for pain intervention. This is encouraging for both employers and employees as there are many resources available to treat chronic pain conditions. We will explore what we are learning in future entries.