According to a September 2021 Harris Poll, 56% of Americans now report that they are experiencing chronic pain. That’s a very dramatic increase from 33% reporting chronic pain prior to the pandemic. In another sign of trouble, opioid overdose deaths were up 30% in 2020 from the year before. 

Other recent surveys have found that long term chronic pain sufferers report increased pain since the pandemic began. Both increased severity and increased prevalence are most likely related to the stress of the pandemic and its associated challenges. Other causes may include pain from long haul COVID, adverse reactions tto the vaccine, difficulty accessing medical care for acute pain so that it was more likely to advance to chronic pain..

The poll also found that:

• 62% of Americans experiencing chronic pain don’t know what type of healthcare provider is best to help them manage their pain.
• 80% reported they have had to find ways to manage pain on their own.
• 68% wish they had more information about how to manage their pain.
• 83% of the respondents who are in chronic pain would like to avoid taking opioid medication.
• 53% are using over-the-counter pain relievers, with most probably unaware of the heightened risks of heart attack, stroke, GI bleeding, kidney and kidney damage from NSAIDs and liver failujre from acetaminophen.

There is strong interest in non-pharmaceutical treatments among those not currently using them, including:

• Healthy eating (80%)
• Exercise (71%)
• Massage therapy (68%)
• Physical therapy (62%,
• Mindfulness or meditation (61%)
• Health/wellbeing apps (56%)
• Acupuncture (51%)
• Spinal manipulation (50%)
• Yoga (49%), and
• Behavioral therapy (42%).

A few years ago, in the midst of what were already out-of-control epidemics of chronic pain and opioid addiction and overdose, I started the Alternative Pain Treatment Directory. I knew from my own experience with chronic pain how difficult it is to find safe, effective treatments. The Alternative Pain Treatment Directory has information and resources for nonpharmaceutical pain treatments that work. It includes hundreds of articles, alternative healthcare practitioner listings and recommended pain relief products.

The Alternative Pain Treatment Directory is clearly needed now more than ever. My goal is to make the Alternative Pain Treatment Directory the “go-to” website for people in chronic pain looking for accurate information about their options. 

If you are an alternative healthcare practitioner who treats pain or a vendor with a natural pain relief product, you can help me reach more pain patients as well as get more referrals or sales for yourself by signing up for a listing on the Alternative Pain Treatment Directory. 

I’m currently discounting listings 33% to encourage more participation in the Directory and to fund more marketing efforts. Comprehensive listings with coupon code CAMEDU are only $10/month or $99/year. Please find more information about listing on the Directory HERE. 

I hope you’ll join us!