Why Are Millions Suffering from Chronic Pain in the United States?
Key Highlights :
For millions of Americans, chronic pain is an all-too-familiar reality. From neck pain to back pain to hip pain and knee pain, it is estimated that nearly 50 million Americans suffer from some form of chronic pain. But why is this problem so widespread in the United States?
The answer is complex, and the root causes of chronic pain vary from person to person. For Bobbie Wert, a middle-aged woman who has suffered from stomach pain since she was a young girl, the answer was trauma. Wert had experienced physical and sexual abuse as a child, and it may have caused her brain to go into a state of hypervigilance, resulting in periodic bouts of pain.
It is increasingly understood that chronic pain can originate in the brain rather than in the body part that hurts. This is why many people with amputated limbs still experience phantom pain.
The prevalence of chronic pain in the United States is concerning, and it is important to explore how we can address this challenge. This article is the first in an occasional series called “How America Heals” that will explore how we can heal together by addressing education, health, homelessness, loneliness, addiction, and more.
The series was inspired by the author’s personal experience. Growing up in the United States, he saw many of his childhood classmates suffer from chronic pain, and he has watched as many of them have died from drugs, alcohol, or suicide. His goal is to raise awareness of these issues and explore potential solutions.
In conclusion, chronic pain is a major problem in the United States, and it is important to explore the root causes and potential solutions. This series will highlight the interwoven crises affecting working-class Americans and explore how we can heal together.
