Managing chronic pain is a growing challenge, with over 51.6 million Americans adults, half under 45 struggling with this debilitating condition

According to the US Centers for Disease Control (CDC), more than 51 million American adults live with chronic pain¹. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) pegs the number at closer to 100 million, naming it the primary reason for American disability claims and calling prescription opioids for chronic pain a notable cause of addiction and deaths².

In March of 2020, COVID-19 was declared a national emergency just 13 days after the first confirmed death. Of 103.6 million cases of COVID-19 in the US, all but 1.2 million have recovered. Vaccines continue to be heavily subsidized and health insurance offers 100% coverage to ensure widespread prevention.

Unlike COVID, no cure or prevention is on the horizon for chronic pain. Victims must navigate a sea of therapeutic options from opioids to acupuncture, over-the-counter analgesics and chiropractic to cobble together “pain management” plans that help them live with a “tolerable level” of pain for a lifetime. For most people, insurance for alternative therapies such as chiropractic, acupuncture and therapeutic massage is limited. Natural remedies such as glucosamine chondroitin, capsaicin, medical marijuana, turmeric, terpenes, CBD and omega-3 fatty acids are usually not covered at all. All too often, people simply go without adequate treatment.

Chronic Pain: Color blind. Gender neutral. Age insensitive.

Chronic pain often strikes older people. Osteoarthritis, neuropathy, osteoporosis and other degenerative conditions from aging can and do cause chronic pain for many. The CDC estimates that no less than 25% and as much as 85% of the population over age 60 suffer from chronic pain from one or more geriatric conditions.

But a recent study of 10,450 American adults by the National Center for Complimentary and Integrative Health (NCCIH), Seattle Children's Research Institute and the University of Washington found that an astonishing 54% of those reporting chronic pain were aged 18 - 45. 17% also report having "high-impact" chronic pain, defined as pain that impacts a person’s quality of life and work most or all days. Trouble maintaining a steady job; difficulty caring for children and family members; plus stress and depression from exhaustion will strike large numbers of the nation's youngest and poorest communities.³

Economic and Social Consequences

Economic Costs

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) tallies the cost of lost productivity, unemployment, disability and healthcare directly stemming from chronic pain at a whopping $560 to $635 billion a year.

Homelessness Impact

A 2011 U.K study of chronic pain among the homeless found that almost two thirds of those interviewed experienced chronic pain. In a study of veterans treated at Boston Healthcare for the homeless from 2003 - 2008, up to 63% of adults in shelters reported chronic pain and only half said it was being treated.

Cycle of Dependency

While these studies don’t draw a straight line from chronic pain to unemployment, homelessness and drug and alcohol dependency, the potential for such a cycle portends chilling social consequences.

Multi-modal Therapies Reduce Drug Use and Risk

Opioids, steroids, NSAIDs and other powerful drugs are commonly prescribed treatments for chronic pain, but each has side effects from prolonged use that further complicate health problems. Chronic kidney and liver disease, gastro-intestinal illnesses and internal bleeding are well-known side effects of many of the prescription and non-prescription drugs. The severity of these side effects adds to the health risk and cost of treating people whose lifelong pain leads to conditions as serious as addiction and mental illness.

For both young and old, broader acceptance of therapies that can be used in combination with or as an alternative to harsh drugs can reduce compound health risks arising from lifetime treatment. Innovative multi-modal therapies can consist of conventional pain medications, diet, and natural and alternative therapies that have been used for centuries.

Practiced in China for more than 4,500 years, acupuncture was not FDA-approved until 1996 after decades of being rejected by Western medicine. Chiropractic care wasn’t covered by Medicare until 1972 and continues to face arbitrary coverage limitations with no scientific or medical basis. Physical therapy may be prescribed by pain professionals, but like acupuncture and chiropractic, insurance coverage can be limited.

Naturopathic alternatives like glucosamine chondroitin and plant terpenes may not have regulatory approval yet, but thousands of years of history and increasing amounts of scientific evidence suggest that they have the potential to offer relief for many people without damaging side effects and high cost. Despite continued resistance by pharmaceutical companies, insurance carriers and regulators, pain specialists increasingly integrate these alternatives to drugs, helping patients to live more comfortably without the cost, risk, and social stigma associated with drug long-term use.

Practical Approaches to Multi-Modal Pain Management

Managing chronic pain effectively often requires combining various therapies to address both the physical and emotional aspects of pain. For example, individuals can pair conventional medications like NSAIDs with physical therapy to improve mobility and reduce discomfort. Adding natural supplements, such as omega-3 fatty acids or glucosamine chondroitin, may further support joint health and inflammation control. Techniques like acupuncture, chiropractic care, or therapeutic massage can provide additional relief by targeting specific pain points and promoting relaxation. Regular exercise, tailored to an individual’s abilities, and mindfulness practices such as yoga or meditation can also improve overall well-being and reduce pain perception. By integrating these strategies, patients can create a customized plan that minimizes reliance on medications while improving their quality of life.

FDA Approval: A Catch 22 for Dietary Supplement

In today's regulatory framework, gathering clinical evidence is extremely costly and difficult to finance without tactics like patent protection that guarantee profits for decades. Chemical synthetics have advantages over natural medicines in the patent process. Considered novel and unique, patented synthetics can be protected from direct competition for up to 20 years, enabling premium pricing that covers costs and returns handsome profits funded by insurance.

Makers of natural products are reluctant to share clinical and other research supporting therapeutic claims since much of the data submitted to the FDA is made public. Without patent protection, competitors can easily use publicized clinical data to copy products and support product claims without making any investment in beneficial research.

Here are some things you can do to help select quality products:

1. Be sure makers have conducted extensive lab and field trials to determine suggested use and its effectiveness. Some may even have conducted very rigorous and well-controlled clinical trials.
2. Read customer reviews to see if their stories resonate. Although makers cannot make therapeutic claims, laws protecting free speech allow customers to more freely and openly discuss their experiences.
3. Be sure manufacturers publish lab tests. Test data may not reveal trade secrets, but should reflect that products are free from foreign matter, heavy metals, microbes and bacteria, pesticides and solvents or other potentially dangerous material.
4. Does the maker have solid, credible partners? Do they work with certified manufacturing and lab facilities? Do they have research and clinical partnerships that validate current products and guide future product roadmaps?
5. In short, buy from quality companies doing the hard work of investing in quality products.

Don’t be afraid to try supplements made with materials the FDA generally regards as safe (GRAS). To obtain this status, leaders in the food and beverage industries submit literally reams of test data for the plants and plant-derived materials they use for products we eat and drink every day. If ingredients with GRAS status are used, you’ve probably eaten them hundreds of times, albeit in different combinations and concentrations than a dietary supplement

You deserve nothing but the best. Consider adding dietary supplements as part of your multi-modal pain management strategy to dramatically improve your quality of life. Explore high-quality, safe, and effective supplements from Nápreva today to take the first step toward better pain management and improved well-being.

1) Rikard SM, Strahan AE, Schmit KM, Guy GP Jr.. Chronic Pain Among Adults — United States, 2019–2021. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 2023;72:379–385. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.15585/mmwr.mm7215a1

2) https://nida.nih.gov/research-topics/pain#:~:text=Chronic%20pain%20affects%20an%20estimated,to%20opioids%20and%20overdose%20deaths.

3) https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2 804995