CHRONIC PAIN AND THE DISABILITY EPIDEMIC

Individuals with chronic pain frequently experience a complex and convoluted journey through the health care system that is often unrewarding for all involved. Excessive pain behavior may lead to unnecessary diagnostic testing or invasive procedures and result in iatrogenic complications and prolonged disability. Injured workers maintained on Worker's Compensation may be at increased risk for developing chronic pain syndromes unresponsive to conventional treatments. These individuals may have significant financial, psychosocial, and environmental reinforcement for maintenance of their disability and little incentive to return to work. Often there is no direct correlation between objective impairment and an individual's request for disability status. As job satisfaction and financial security diminish during our economic recession, the impact of the disability epidemic becomes more profound.