30 August 2021
September is chronic pain awareness month and Chronic Pain Ireland are here to inform everyone about the month and their organisation. The World Health Assembly (WHA), a subsection of the World Health Organization (WHO) has declared September as Pain Awareness Month.
Throughout the month of September, many organisations around the globe contribute and raise awareness of chronic pain. This year Chronic Pain Ireland’s theme is Chronic Pain and the importance of connection in addressing social isolation.
Research suggests that social isolation as a result of chronic pain is responsible for a greater reliance of GP services, decreased quality of life and physical function. Reported social issues that accompany life with chronic pain include:
- Stigma – pain is invisible, feelings of being judged, misunderstood, a burden.
- Relationships – challenges and in particular intimacy
- Impact on mental health
Further research on the impact of Covid-19 concludes that the current pandemic has exacerbated existing sources of social threat for people with chronic pain.
CPI Chairperson Martina Phelan states “It is crucial that we devote attention to the assessment, mitigation, and prevention of the sources of social threat for people with chronic pain. It is now more important than ever to develop strategies and evidence based interventions that combat chronic pain and social isolation which will ultimately improve health and well-being”.
Throughout Pain Awareness Month, Chronic Pain Ireland will be holding a number of events, talks and workshops addressing social isolation and for further details see www.chronicpain.ie.
interventions that combat chronic pain and social isolation which will ultimately improve health and well-being”.
Throughout Pain Awareness Month, Chronic Pain Ireland will be holding a number of events, talks and workshops addressing social isolation and for further details see www.chronicpain.ie
More about chronic pain
In Europe 1 in 5 adults suffer with chronic pain. In Ireland that figure is higher. In 2011 Researchers from School of Psychology & Centre of Pain Research, NUIG Galway found that in Ireland 35.5% of adults in Ireland suffer with chronic pain. That’s 2 in 5 people. In those aged between 18 and 24 the proportion was 1 in 5 people, those aged 65 and over it was as many as 3 in 5.
- 42% have chronic pain more than 5 years
- 15% have clinically relevant depression as a result compared to 2.8% living without chronic pain.
- 12% unable to work or reduced work hours and are 3 times more likely to be unemployed due to their chronic pain.
Chronic Pain Ireland services and support
Support can come in a variety of forms be it someone at the end of a support line, advice or help from someone else living with pain, health assistance from your healthcare teams or financial assistance from various government departments. This support can allow you to connect with others and reduces the impact of isolation, stigma etc., and puts you back in the driving seat.
Chronic Pain Ireland are a Carmichael resident organisation, one of the many organisations we help at one of our two locations based in Dublin’s city centre.
At Chronic Pain Ireland they offer nationwide support to people living and learning to live with chronic pain, their friends, and family. They achieve this through their support phone-line, email, online forum, self-management workshops and information talks.
Chronic Pain impacts on every facet of life, including financial, social and psychological implications. Chronic Pain presents substantial increased risk of depression, physical de-conditioning, poor self-esteem, social isolation and relationship breakdown. Yet with education and application of self-management skills people can learn to manage their condition and live life with quality and meaning.
