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Chronic Pain In America: Roadblocks To Relief

Summary of Findings

Perceptions and Use of Medicine Types

ALMOST 75% OF CHRONIC PAIN SUFFERERS PERCEIVE OTCs AS BEING EFFECTIVE IN RELIEVING MODERATE TO SEVERE PAIN; A MAJORITY ALSO BELIEVE NARCOTIC PAIN RELIEVERS AND Rx NSAIDS WOULD PROVIDE EFFECTIVE RELIEF. THE OVERALL FAVORABLE PERCEPTION OF OTC EFFICACY IS DRIVEN BY SUFFERERS HAVING MODERATE PAIN.

"Do you believe that (MEDICINE) could be effective in relieving moderate to severe chronic pain? Even if you have never used them, still give us your answer?" (Q. 9a)

Base: All chronic pain sufferers.

  ---Severity of Pain Now---
  Total % Moderate % Severe % Very Severe %
OTCs or non-prescription medicines 74 82 74 64
Narcotic pain relievers 67 61 73 73
Prescription NSAIDs 66 67 71 62
Anti-Depressants 26 23 26 31
Anti-seizure drugs 13 11 15 15


ALMOST ALL CHRONIC PAIN SUFFERERS HAVE USED OTCs TO RELIEVE THEIR PAIN AND OVER ONE HALF HAVE USED Rx NSAIDS. NARCOTIC PAIN RELIEVERS HAVE BEEN TRIED BY JUST OVER 4 OF EVERY 10 SUFFERERS; THEIR USE, ALONG WITH Rx NSAIDs, ANTI-DEPRESSANTS AND ANTI-SEIZURE DRUGS, VARIES DIRECTLY WITH THE SEVERITY OF THE PAIN.

"Which, if any, of the following types of medicine have you ever taken for your pain?" (Q. 9b)

Base: All chronic pain sufferers.

  ---Severity of Pain Now---
  Total % Moderate % Severe % Very Severe %
OTCs or non-prescription medicines 91 91 92 90
Prescription NSAIDs 60 52 66 65
Narcotic pain relievers 42 30 43 55
Anti-Depressants 21 13 20 32
Anti-Seizure drugs 4 2 4 7


REGARDLESS OF PAIN SEVERITY, THE MOST COMMON MEDICINES CURRENTLY BEING USED ARE OTCs. AMONG THOSE WITH VERY SEVERE PAIN, NARCOTIC PAIN RELIEVERS ARE ALMOST AS WIDELY USED AS Rx NSAIDs. IN ADDITION, THOSE WITH VERY SEVERE PAIN ARE ALSO MORE LIKELY TO USE ANTI-DEPRESSANTS AND ANTI-SEIZURE DRUGS THAN THOSE WITH MODERATE PAIN.

Which ones, if any, are you taking now for your pain?" (Q. 9c)

Base: All chronic pain sufferers.

  ---Severity of Pain Now---
  Total % Moderate % Severe % Very Severe %
OTCs or non-prescription medicines 63 68 59 60
Prescription NSAIDs 29 26 34 31
Narcotic pain relievers 16 9 13 26
Anti-Depressants 9 8 6 12
Anti-seizure drugs 1 * 1 4

( * Less than 0.5%)

MEDICINES ARE BEING TAKEN AT LEAST 2 TIMES A DAY; THE MORE SEVERE THE PAIN, THE MORE FREQUENT MEDICINE IS BEING TAKEN.

"How many times a day do you take (MEDICINES)?" (Q. 9d)

Base: All chronic pain sufferers currently taking medicine type.

  ---Severity of Pain Now---
  Total % Moderate % Severe % Very Severe %
Mean number of times:
OTCs or non-prescription medicines 2.1 2.0 1.8 2.4
Prescription NSAIDs 2.4 1.7 3.6 2.2
Narcotic pain relievers*
(*Caution small base) 		2.3 1.8 1.9 2.5


REGARDLESS OF PAIN SEVERITY. OTCs HAVE BEEN TAKEN ALMOST TWICE AS LONG FOR PAIN RELIEF THAN OTHER MEDICINE TYPES. Rx NSAIDs AND NARCOTIC PAIN RELIEVERS HAVE BEEN TAKEN FOR ABOUT THE SAME LENGTH OF TIME.

"About how long have you been taking (MEDICINE) for your pain? (Q. 9e)

Base: All chronic pain sufferers currently taking medicine type.

  ---Severity of Pain Now---
  Total % Moderate % Severe % Very Severe %
Mean number of years:
OTCs or non-prescription medicines 9.5 8.5 9.1 11.1
Prescription NSAIDs 5.8 6.1 5.2 5.8
Narcotic pain relievers*
(* Caution small base) 		5.5 5.8 7.4 4.7


NARCOTIC PAIN RELIEVERS ARE RATED SIGNIFICANTLY HIGHER BY THEIR USERS ON PROVIDING PAIN RELIEF THAN IS THE CASE WITH OTHER MEDICINES AMONG THEIR USERS; OTCs, THE MORE WIDELY USED MEDICATIONS FOR PAIN RELIEF, RECEIVE RELATIVELY LOW RATINGS ON EFFECTIVENESS AMONG THEIR USERS COMPARED TO NARCOTIC PAIN RELIEVERS AND Rx NSAIDs.

"If 10 represents complete relief and 0 represents no relief at all, how much pain relief did/does (MEDICINE) provide you?" (Q. 10)

Base: All chronic pain sufferers ever trying medicine type. Mean rating as to amount of relief provided.

  ---Severity of Pain Now---
  Total % Moderate % Severe % Very Severe %
Mean rating:
Narcotic pain relievers 7.6 7.8 7.7 7.4
Prescription NSAIDs 6.2 7.0 6.3 5.3
OTCs or non-prescription medicines 5.2 5.9 4.9 4.4
Anti-Depressants*
(* Caution small base)		 4.2 4.8 4.1 4.0


CHRONIC PAIN SUFFERERS, ESPECIALLY THOSE WITH SEVERE PAIN, TURN TO NON-MEDICINAL THERAPIES; THE MOST COMMON ONES ARE HOT/COLD PACKS AND HERBS/DIETARY SUPPLEMENTS/VITAMINS.

"Which ones, if any, are you using now?" (Q. 18b)

Base: All chronic pain sufferers.

  ---Severity of Pain Now---
  Total % Moderate % Severe % Very Severe %
Using non-medical therapy now 68 64 66 74
Hot or cold packs 41 36 45 46
Herbs, dietary supplements, vitamins 24 25 19 24
Massage 18 15 21 18
Braces, splints 12 9 13 14
Physical therapy 11 9 9 15
Chiropractic manipulation 10 10 14 6
Psychosocial therapies
ZEN/meditation 5 5 5 7
Psychological counsel 3 1 3 6
Bio-feedback 2 1 1 2
Hypnosis 1 1 1 1
Not using now 32 36 34 26


CHRONIC PAIN SUFFERERS TAKING MAJOR NON-MEDICINAL THERAPIES BELIEVE THEY PROVIDE MORE RELIEF THAN OTCs; SURPRISINGLY, ONE EXCEPTION IS HERBS, DIETARY SUPPLEMENTS AND VITAMINS WHICH ARE NOT PERCEIVED AS PROVIDING AS MUCH RELIEF AS OTCs OR OTHER NON-MEDICINAL THERAPIES. ONLY NARCOTIC PAIN RELIEVERS ARE PERCEIVED AS PROVIDING MORE RELIEF THAN THE MAJOR NON-MEDICINAL THERAPIES.

"If 10 represents complete relief and 0 represents no relief at all, how much pain relief does (THERAPY) provide? (Q. 18c)

Base: All chronic pain sufferers currently using the non-medical therapy. Mean rating as to the amount of relief provided.

  ---Severity of Pain Now---
  Total % Moderate % Severe % Very Severe %
Hot or cold packs 6.0 6.4 5.7 5.9
Massage 6.0 6.2 6.5 5.0
Physical therapy 5.8 6.9 5.4 5.2
Herbs, dietary supplements, vitamins 4.1 4.4 * 3.3

(* Base too small)

A SMALL, BUT SIGNIFICANT NUMBER OF CHRONIC PAIN SUFFERERS HAVE AT ONE TIME OR ANOTHER TURNED TO ALCOHOL FOR RELIEF; THIS OCCURS MORE OFTEN AMONG MIDDLE AGED ADULTS AND MEN.

"At any time since your pain first began, have you ever found yourself turning to alcohol as a form of pain relief?" (Q. 21)

Base: All chronic pain sufferers.

  ---Sex--- ---Age---
  Total % Men % Women % 34-49 65+
Turned to alcohol 10 16 7 19 3
Did not turn to alcohol 90 84 93 81 97


THE NUMBER OF PILLS TAKEN VARIES DIRECTLY WITH THE SEVERITY OF PAIN; THE GREAT MAJORITY TAKE THEIR PILLS AT THE TIMES PRESCRIBED BY THEIR DOCTOR AND RELATIVELY FEW HAVE DIFFICULTY IN DOING SO; THOSE WHO DO NOT TAKE THEM AT THE TIMES PRESCRIBED WANT TO CONTROL THE AMOUNT OF MEDICINE TAKEN AND TAKE ONLY WHEN NEEDED.

"On a typical day when you take medicine for your pain, how many pills of all types do you take in total to relieve your pain?" (Q. 14a) "Do you take your pills at the times prescribed by your doctor?" (Q. 14b) "Do you have a lot of difficulty, a little difficulty or no difficulty at all in taking all your pills at the times prescribed by your doctor?" (Q. 14d) "What is your main reason for not doing so?" (Q. 14c)

Base: All chronic pain sufferers.

  ---Severity of Pain Now---
  Total % Moderate % Severe % Very Severe %
Mean number of pills of all types taken in a typical day 4.6 4.0 4.0 5.7
Percent taking at times prescribed by your doctor 70% 66% 72% 73%
Difficulty (a lot/a little) 12 8 18 16
  % % * %
Percent not taking at times prescribed by your doctor 21 23 20 12
  % % * %
Want to control amount I take 27 24   24
It's an OTC 16 20   14
Take when needed 2 28   35

(* Base too small)

OPINION IS SPLIT AMONG CHRONIC PAIN SUFFERERS BETWEEN WANTING TO TAKE PILLS ONLY WHEN NEEDED AND BEING ON A REGULAR SCHEDULE.

"All other things being equal, what would be the ideal schedule for taking medicine for your pain?" (Q. 14e)

Base: All chronic pain sufferers.

  ---Severity of Pain Now---
  Total % Moderate % Severe % Very Severe %
Only as needed 48 50 48 46
4 times a day 6 5 5 8
3 times a day 10 8 9 11
Twice a day 15 14 17 16
Once a day 16 18 16 14
Once every 3 days * * 0 1
Don't know, don't care 4 5 5 3

(* less than 0.5%)

ALMOST ALL CHRONIC PAIN SUFFERERS TAKE THEIR MEDICINE IN PILL FORM; IT IS ALSO THE PREFERRED WAY, GIVEN A CHOICE.

"Which of the following ways are you now taking medicine for your pain?" (Q. 17a) "Ideally, which one would you prefer the most for your chronic pain, if you had a choice?" (Q. 17b)

Base: All chronic pain sufferers.

  ---Severity of Pain Now---
  Total % Moderate % Severe % Very Severe %
Taking now:
Pills 94 94 96 94
Injection 6 3 9 9
Nasal spray 4 3 4 4
Skin patch 1 * 0 2
Ideal way:
Pills 83 84 85 79
Skin patch 6 5 8 7
Injection 3 1 1 6
Nasal spray 3 3 4 3
Implanted pump 1 1 1 1


On to: Attitudes Toward Narcotic Pain Relievers

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