11/02/2022
We have all felt pain in our life, whether a stubbed toe, a paper cut, or some other minor injury. For most of us, pain is an infrequent and short term problem – something that we deal with and then get on with our day. However, for one in five Canadians, pain isn’t fleeting. It’s a constant and often excruciating companion.
For the last 15 years, the first week of November has been National Pain Awareness Week in Canada, a time to raise awareness of and support for people living with chronic pain. When you pause for a moment and consider the facts, I think you’ll see why that’s important:
Chronic pain is the most frequent cause of suffering and disability.
Pain is the number one reason people access health care, accounting for about half of all physician visits.
People living with chronic pain are twice as likely to experience depression and anxiety.
One in five Canadians live with chronic pain.
About 60,000 adults within the North experience chronic pain.
Approximately 1,400 Northern Health employees are estimated to experience chronic pain.
