A Report on Pain released Tuesday revealed that for those Canadians living with chronic pain, a long wait for diagnosis doesn't mean treatment is close at hand.
Report on Pain, released by Jennifer Fox, Thornley Fallis Communications, was commissioned by Canadian Pain Coalition, with support from
Pfizer Canada Inc. to explore the patient journey of Canadians living with chronic pain.
The report shows 21 per cent of Canadians experiencing chronic pain say they had to wait more than two years for a diagnosis for their condition, while only 54 per cent of those diagnosed have a treatment plan.
So almost half (45 per cent) believe there is no treatment to help them, Fox said in a release.
The report also revealed 91 per cent of those with treatment strategies play an active role in their plan.
"There is an urgent need for Canadians living with chronic pain to educate themselves about their condition, treatment options and what is needed to have a meaningful conversation with their healthcare professional," said Dr. John Clark, medical advisor to the Canadian Pain
Coalition and Medical Director of Pain Services, Capital Health, in Halifax.
"Treatment and management options are available. When you have chronic pain, the key to living well and feeling productive is to arm yourself with information about your condition, find support and work with your doctor and other health care professionals to develop a treatment plan that works for you," added Clark.
Chronic pain can result from injury or illness as well as be a symptom of many conditions.
These conditions include fibromyalgia which affects 1.2 million Canadians, arthritis which affects 4.5 million Canadians and neuropathic pain which affects one million Canadians.
More than half (56 per cent) of people living with chronic pain symptoms said they were frustrated that they have not found a solution that works for them and 53 per cent say they receive conflicting information from healthcare professionals.
But 67 per cent of respondents were unsure what kind of support or resources they would like to see available to them. The 26 per cent who did have suggestions indicated they wanted, among other things, faster access to treatment, access to pain management clinics and better access to specialists, general practitioners or other physicians as well as better medical coverage for alternative practitioners.
The report, conducted by Leger Marketing in October, 2010, conducted 1,717 interviews with Canadian adults 18 years and older - 818 were classified as living with chronic pain and 899 did not live with chronic pain.
Incorporated in 2004 as a non-profit organization, CPC is a partnership of pain consumer groups, individuals and health professionals who care for people in pain and scientists studying better ways to treat pain. For more information about CPC visit www.canadianpaincoalition.ca.
