The North American Spine Foundation and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs discussed the National Pain Strategy at the American Pain Society’s Annual Scientific Meeting.
Here are six things to know:
1. About 100 million Americans experience chronic pain, according to the Institute of Medicine.
2. The VA reported 44 percent of soldiers in an Army infantry brigade experienced chronic pain after tours in Afghanistan and Iraq.
3. The North American Spine Foundation reported over the last 50 years, spinal disorders have risen 300 percent.
4. A new VA model is aiding veterans with pain management via pain assessments, alternative therapies, patient education and self care. The model has reduced opioid use among veterans.
5. Treatment should first address function to subdue disability and then address the pain aspect.
6. The North American Spine Foundation created National Spine 10×25 Initiative, an awareness campaign aimed at decreasing U.S. spine disability by 10 percent by 2025.
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