Chronic pain awareness growing as a disease in its own right
There is a move on by chronic pain experts to have it recognised as a disease in its own right. A recent article in the Sydney Morning Herald quotes Professor Michael Cousins saying…”Chronic pain, which affects one in five people and costs the economy about $34.4 billion a year, is the third-most expensive health problem in Australia but most sufferers were still seen as malingerers or drug seekers by general practitioners and busy emergency department staff“.
Chronic pain treatment is rated as very poor within the health system. While there is so much bad news about the treatment of chronic pain, Lifestyle Therapies recently launched a guaranteed service for sufferers. The intention behind the guarantee is to offer chronic pain sufferers one week to assess the treatment from key practitioners such as principal physiotherapist Dianne Hermans. Dianne has over 20 years experience as a physiotherapist and has presented and lectured around the world on treating complex and chronic pain conditions with modalities such as Q magnets.
Chronic pain also has a strong psychological component. Working with chronic pain mindfully with the aid of hypnotherapy and counselling can help to relate with the pain with less anger.