Chronic Pain, some interesting stats.
Did you know that 1 in 5 Australians over the age of 45 years old are living with persistent, ongoing pain? Chronic pain (CP) typically lasts for more than 3 months, causes include illnesses, musculoskeletal problems, injury, surgery, and cancer, however sometimes there is no obvious cause.
Living with chronic pain makes day-to-day life difficult. A CP sufferer’s life is impacted by how they feel or simply whether they can make it out of bed that day. It takes both a physical and mental toll on their bodies. CP can affect mood, sleep, and mental health, sometimes leading to anxiety and depression. In fact, rates of depressions are 4 x higher among people with CP than people without.
In the lead up to National Pain Week, we wanted to share some resources for people dealing with CP:
o Painaustralia – to find pain services and programs in your area https://www.painaustralia.org.au/pain-services-directory/pain-directory
o Chronic Pain Australia – for more info on chronic pain https://chronicpainaustralia.org.au/
o Pain Management Network – how people have managed chronic pain, including people from Aboriginal communities https://www.aci.health.nsw.gov.au/chronic-pain/chronic-pain
o Australian Pain Management Association – provides advocacy, info, and practical support for people lining with chronic pain https://www.painmanagement.org.au/
o Pain Link Helpline – staffed by volunteers with personal experience of chronic pain 1300 340 357
o Australian Pain Management Association – Pain Support Groups
o Chronic Pain Australia on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/ChronicPainAustralia/
o Bendigo Fibromyalgia Peer Support Group (Victoria) https://www.facebook.com/bendigofibromyalgiapeersupportgroup/?_rdc=1&_rdr
o Chronic Pain Australia Forum - https://www.chronicpainaustralia.org.au/forum-discussions-3/public-registered-users
Also, we wanted to discuss how important relationships are for those dealing with CP. Relationships can be far more impactful on our health then what we think. So, for anyone who has partner, family member or close friend dealing with a chronic condition must ensure that you’re supporting them as much as you can. So, we wanted to share some quick tips on how you can support one dealing with CP:
1. Do research about their condition
2. Ask them what they need help with
3. Encourage positive thinking
4. Encourage them to take their prescribed medication
5. Be there to listen
6. Respect their boundaries
Lastly, remember just being there has so much value!