Chronic pain treatments are failing across Europe
Millions of people across Europe experience chronic pain on a daily basis even after trying several treatment options according to a new survey.
The Painfu
l Truth Survey: The State of Pain Management in Europe (sponsored by Boston Scientific) found that over one-third of people with chronic pain struggle with routine tasks affecting their work and personal lives, relationships and the ability to care for their children.
A host of organisations have called on governments across Europe to develop national plans for chronic pain management that go beyond the traditional diagnosis and treatment routes.
About 20% of those surveyed have a chronic pain diagnosis that could be treated/managed with new treatments (such as rechargeable Spinal Cord Stimulation) but despite its availability, 66% of people surveyed had not heard of it.
“Many patients see their doctor several times before they are referred on to a specialist and this can be very frustrating for someone who is living with constant pain on a day to day basis,” says Harry Kletzko, vice president of the German Pain League. “Pain really impacts how you live your life, even with simple tasks such as getting out of bed, which can become extremely difficult. Because chronic pain is so hard to describe, it’s hard for someone who is not experiencing it to actually understand where the pain is and how it affects patients.”
Dr Simon Thomson, Consultant in Pain Medicine and Neuromodulation at Basildon and Thurrock University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust comments:
“For many patients, conventional medication or surgery is not the answer and we need to be exploring how best to use innovative and cost-effective technologies as they emerge. In the longer term, Spinal Cord Stimulation (SCS) may not only improve the sufferer’s pain, but also reduce the burden on the health economy by getting the right treatment to the right individual at the right time.”
Research suggests that the cost of treating patients with SCS is recouped in one to three years compared to conventional therapies because of reduced drug treatment and hospitalisation.
