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When it comes to common health issues in the United States, most people’s minds go to cancer, heart disease, or maybe even diabetes. And for good reason. Those conditions affect an estimated 61 million people in the United States. However, there’s one condition that affects more Americans than those three conditions combined. It’s the reason countless patients seek out a pain management doctor in the Woodlands every year. It’s chronic pain, and it affects upwards of 100 million Americans. Common types of chronic pain In terms of the most common types of chronic pain, the numbers reported in a National Institute of Health Statistics (NIHS) survey align with the patients seen by the North Lakes Pain Consultants pain management clinic in the Woodlands. The four most common types of chronic pain are lower back pain, which affected 27% of respondents in the NIHS survey, neck pain, which affected 15% of respondents, migraine or severe headache, which also affected 15% of respondents, and facial pain, which affected 4% of respondents. Frequent lower back pain is experienced by 26 million Americans between the ages of 20 and 64. A full 28% of adults who reported experiencing lower back pain also reported limited activity due to their condition. The effects of chronic pain In addition to limiting activity or mobility, people suffering from lower back pain were found to be three times as likely to be in fair to poor health and four times more likely to experience what is considered serious psychological distress than those who do not have lower back pain. In terms of generalized chronic pain, 20% of adult Americans – which amounts of 42 million people – have their sleep disrupted by pain at least a few nights per week. In a survey conducted by the American Pain Foundation, 59% of respondents reported a negative impact on their quality of life, while 77% of respondents reported feeling depressed, 70% reported having trouble concentrating, and 74% reported having their energy levels negatively impacted. There’s no reason to live like this. A pain management doctor in the Woodlands like Dr. Sims, Dr. Gopalani, or Dr. Williamson of North Lakes Pain Consultants will find the most appropriate and most effective pain management method for each patient, no matter what they’re struggling with. An important reason to look into a pain management clinic in the Woodlands If the chronic pain itself or the impact it can have on quality of life isn’t enough to convince someone to seek professional help from a pain management team like the one at North Lakes Pain Consultants, then perhaps the seriousness of the potential for prescription drug abuse is. Prescription drugs are the second most commonly abused drugs in the United States, following only marijuana. The doctors at North Lakes will develop the best possible pain management strategy for every patient they see. In some instances, this may include the use of pain medications, even opiods. They will work closely with patients to comply with all federal and state regulations, and minimize the risk of addiction. For those of you who want to find the best pain management doctor in The Woodlands, please check out North Lakes Pain Consultants.
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