• Disrupting Power Since 2015
  • Donate
  • Login
Tuesday, May 20, 2025
  • Login
  • Register
Canary
MEDIA THAT DISRUPTS
  • News
    • UK
    • Global
    • Analysis
    • Trending
  • Editorial
  • Features
    • Features
    • Environment
    • Lifestyle
    • Health
    • Money
    • Science
    • Business
    • Tech
    • Travel
    • Sport & Gaming
  • Media
    • Video
    • Cartoons
  • Opinion
No Result
View All Result
MANAGE SUBSCRIPTION
SUPPORT
  • News
    • UK
    • Global
    • Analysis
    • Trending
  • Editorial
  • Features
    • Features
    • Environment
    • Lifestyle
    • Health
    • Money
    • Science
    • Business
    • Tech
    • Travel
    • Sport & Gaming
  • Media
    • Video
    • Cartoons
  • Opinion
No Result
View All Result
Canary
No Result
View All Result

Almost 50% of Britons have this health condition – and it can be debilitating

Ali Reid by Ali Reid
22 June 2016
in Health
Reading Time: 2 mins read
165 7
A A
0
Home Other News & Features Health
319
SHARES
2.5k
VIEWS
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

A major new study has found that 43% of people in the UK experience chronic pain – defined as pain lasting for over three months. That’s around 28 million people, almost three times the number previously estimated. And 10-14% of the population have chronic pain that moderately or severely limits their daily life.

Dr Alan Fayaz, an author of the study from Imperial College London, said:

Pain is really under-represented in terms of the public awareness of it. Nobody ever talks about chronic pain, it is like a silent epidemic.

The study also found that the rate of chronic pain increases with age, with up to 62% of over 75’s affected. An aging population means that burden of chronic pain is likely to only increase further.

Olivia Belle from the charity Arthritis Research UK said:

Although we may not be able to see it, living in pain, day in and day out, can have a devastating impact on people’s lives, affecting their independence, mobility and ability to stay in work. There is also, unsurprisingly, a direct link between chronic pain and depression.

If we are going to address this growing need, we need better pain management and better treatments to relieve pain.

The link between chronic pain and depression has been known about for some time. And it goes both ways – not only can pain cause depression, but depression can cause pain. Some of the chemicals in the brain that help control the perception of pain are the same as ones that control mood. In some cases, treatments for depression can act as painkillers. This is true for both psychological treatments, like talking therapies, and antidepressants.

Living with chronic pain negatively affects quality of life and causes distress. It can affect someone’s ability to move, work and socialise, as well as their mental health. Dr Fayaz added:

Chronic pain is costly at an individual and societal level. I think the government need to work with organizations like the British Pain Society to challenge these conceptions, much in the way they have done with mental health.

The authors argue that their estimates can be used to inform planning and prioritisation of treatments and preventions for this important cause of distress and disability.

Feature image via Flickr

Share128Tweet80
Previous Post

British children wanting to be the next Tim Peake may be thwarted by Brexit (VIDEO)

Next Post

These are the secret billionaires behind the EU referendum propaganda

Next Post
These are the secret billionaires behind the EU referendum propaganda

These are the secret billionaires behind the EU referendum propaganda

EU Leave Campaign dragged to court for misrepresenting this company’s views

EU Leave Campaign dragged to court for misrepresenting this company's views

This man had to pay for his own advert to inject some truth into referendum debate (IMAGE)

This man had to pay for his own advert to inject some truth into referendum debate (IMAGE)

Look who’s flying across the Atlantic to meddle in the EU Referendum (VIDEO)

Look who's flying across the Atlantic to meddle in the EU Referendum (VIDEO)

David Cameron faces mounting Tory rebellion on eve of the elections

BREAKING: David Cameron's campaign hit by disaster on the day of the referendum

gideon's chariots Gaza
Analysis

Gideon’s Chariots: leaked plan shows Israel intentionally pushing Gaza to famine and forced displacement

by Alaa Shamali
20 May 2025
Gideon's Chariots Gaza
Analysis

“عربات جدعون.. مخطط إسرائيلي يقود غزة نحو مجاعة مُمنهجة وتهجير قسري

by Alaa Shamali
20 May 2025
Our friends at Pauzeradio have got the perfect Reggae clothing line for this summer
Lifestyle

Our friends at Pauzeradio have got the perfect Reggae clothing line for this summer

by Steve Topple
20 May 2025
trade unions protest
News

Trade unions urged “to take the lead in forming a new working-class party”

by Ed Sykes
20 May 2025
Keir Starmer looking angry
News

Keir Starmer’s leadership under pressure as 82 NGOs gang up on him

by The Canary
20 May 2025
  • Contact
  • About & FAQ
  • Get our Daily News Email
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy

The Canary
PO Box 71199
LONDON
SE20 9EX

Canary Media Ltd – registered in England. Company registration number 09788095.

For guest posting, contact [email protected]

For other enquiries, contact: [email protected]

The Canary is owned and run by independent journalists and volunteers, NOT offshore billionaires.

You can write for us, or support us by making a regular or one-off donation.

© Canary Media Ltd 2024, all rights reserved | Website by Monster | Hosted by Krystal | Privacy Settings

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password? Sign Up

Create New Account!

Fill the forms below to register

All fields are required. Log In

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In
No Result
View All Result
  • News
    • UK
    • Global
    • Analysis
    • Trending
  • Editorial
  • Features
    • Features
    • Environment
    • Lifestyle
    • Health
    • Money
    • Science
    • Business
    • Tech
    • Travel
    • Sport & Gaming
  • Media
    • Video
    • Cartoons
  • Opinion

© 2023 Canary - Worker's co-op.

Before you go, have you seen...?

gideon's chariots Gaza
Analysis
Alaa Shamali

Gideon’s Chariots: leaked plan shows Israel intentionally pushing Gaza to famine and forced displacement

Gideon's Chariots Gaza
Analysis
Alaa Shamali

“عربات جدعون.. مخطط إسرائيلي يقود غزة نحو مجاعة مُمنهجة وتهجير قسري

Lifestyle
Steve Topple

Our friends at Pauzeradio have got the perfect Reggae clothing line for this summer

trade unions protest
News
Ed Sykes

Trade unions urged “to take the lead in forming a new working-class party”

ADVERTISEMENT
Analysis
Nathan Spears

Vote for the Press Photograph of the Year 2024

Image by Burkard Meyendriesch from Pixabay
Feature
Nathan Spears

Why Santiago Ways is the Leading Choice for Walking the Camino de Santiago

Environment
Nathan Spears

EU elections point to growing public desire for new policymaking approach in Brussels