Pain awareness month
By Anne Gvozdjak
As the summer draws to a close and we transition into fall, we’d like to call your attention to the month of September — Pain Awareness Month. Nearly 100 million US adults experience chronic pain, and Pain Awareness Month is a time during which organizations, communities, and individuals alike can come together to raise awareness about and take action to address pain.
While types of pain and severity differ widely between different people, and no two types of chronic pain are exactly alike, some underlying characteristics of pain are shared across conditions.
For instance, pain itself is a “signal in your nervous system that something may be wrong.” When a body detects danger, it sends information to the brain about the intrusion, allowing pain to form in nerve cells throughout the body. Chronic pain may sometimes occur when the body has become overprotective, sending warnings to the brain when no real danger exists.
Some instigators of such pain include, but are not limited to:
Arthritis, which encompasses over 100 different conditions relating to joint pain and is the leading cause of disability in America. From joint swelling to stiffness, symptoms may “stay about the same for years but [still] get worse over time [progressing so far as to] make it difficult to walk or climb stairs.”
Endometriosis, which can cause painful periods and long periods of cramps near menstruation. While common pain relievers like ibuprofen often aren’t effective with endometriosis, both medical and surgical options exist that can help reduce the pain experienced.
Migraines, which are caused by imbalances in chemical compounds and made worse by changes in blood flow and blood vessels: when serotonin or estrogen causes blood cells to contract, it may initiate throbbing pain.
These three examples are just a small sample of the many different forms of chronic pain that exist. September is a great month to further educate yourself and the people around you about pain, from simple overview videos to more specific details about certain forms of pain. Share the information you find on social media, and look out for hashtags like #PainCounts on social media to support and uplift those who experience chronic pain themselves. Help play a part in increasing awareness for such a significant and important subject.