Some recent news out of Australia seems to be a positive step in recognizing those suffering with chronic pain. Australia may soon become the first country in the world to recognize chronic pain as a disease in its own right. This move of recognition will lend more credibility to the sufferers and potentially allow them access to more integrated services and medical treatments, media reports said.
Chronic pain, currently a disorder that affects one in five people in Australia, is the third-most expensive health problem in the country. The problem of chronic pain costs over USD $34 billion a year, but most sufferers are still seen as complainers, malingerers or drug seekers by general practitioners and busy emergency department staff, medical expert Michael Cousins was quoted in ‘The Age.
What are your thoughts on this potential good news for chronic pain sufferers? Living with a person who suffers from chronic pain, I can’t even imagine the potential ramifications that this change in attitude of both medical professionals and even governments will have on quality of life. Please let me know your thoughts.
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