Pain management report released during national campaign

The risk of suffering from pain and the level of pain has a positive correlation with the comorbidity of chronic diseases that afflicts a person, according to a research report released on Tuesday during the Oct 16 to 22 national campaign to promote pain management.

Because of this, middle-aged and senior individuals should pay more attention to the prevention and treatment of pain-related conditions as many suffer from more than one chronic disease, said experts.

The report was released at a media briefing held by the Chinese Association of Elderly Health Care and a health app operated by People's Daily.

The report pointed out that physical pain is associated with an increased risk of chronic respiratory, heart disease, kidney and digestive diseases, and that multi-site physical pain may translate to a 23 percent increase in risk of suffering from chronic disease in the future.

The report also noted that people over 50 years old and have chronic diseases such as diabetes, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, cardiovascular diseases, rheumatoid arthritis, and chronic kidney diseases, are at increased risk of developing shingles, which results in unbearable pain.

The research report, which was compiled by clinical data from renowned medical experts in Beijing, Wuhan, Chongqing, Shanghai and Guangzhou, highlighted seven common misunderstandings about pains, including that pain is not a disease and that it will end when we have enough patience to endure it, and that the cause of the pain is resolved if someone takes painkillers and does not feel pain anymore.