The Institute of Medicine reported on Wednesday that chronic pain affects an estimated 116 million American adults—more than the total affected by heart disease, cancer, and diabetes combined. Their latest findings report that our nation has a “moral imperative” to find viable solutions to help people living with chronic pain.

I’d like to share this article published by The Associated Press (AP) yesterday, which offers an overview  the Institute’s in-depth report. For those of us at Rutherford Allied Medical Group, this report serves as important encouragement and inspiration in our chronic pain therapy solution offering Calmare Pain Therapy: 

Treating pain better should be a priority, report says

Thursday, June 30, 2011

BY LAURAN NEERGAARD – THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

WASHINGTON — Nearly a third of Americans experience long-lasting pain — the kind that lingers for weeks to months — and too often feel stigma rather than relief from a health care system poorly prepared to treat them, the Institute of Medicine said Wednesday.

Chronic pain is costing the nation at least $558 billion a year in medical bills, sick days and lost productivity, the report found. That’s more than the cost of heart disease, the No. 1 killer.

All kinds of ailments can trigger lingering pain, from arthritis to cancer, spine problems to digestive disorders, injuries to surgery. Sometimes, chronic pain can be a disease all its own, the report stressed.

Pain management is “a moral imperative,” the report concludes, urging the government, medical groups and insurers to take a series of steps to transform the field.

“We’re viewing this as a critical issue for the United  States,” said Dr. Philip Pizzo,  dean of medicine, who headed the months-long probe.