Joint pain focus for European year

Tuesday January 12th, 2016

A European Year Against Joint Pain campaign has been launched, highlighting a problem afflicting half the population over the age of 50.

The campaign is being run by the European Pain Federation.

Doctors say they hope the year will provide “fresh impetus” to finding the answers to questions about diagnosis and treatment.

Federation president Dr Chris Well said: Joint pain is among the most frequent health complaints of all and a leading reason for disability.

“Joint pain will become an even more urgent problem in future given the prevalence of a sedentary lifestyle, ever more widespread obesity, and the increase in life expectancy.

“Like chronic pain in general, joint pain causes not only individual suffering but also has an enormous social cost in the form of health care expenses, sick days off work, loss of productivity or occupational disability.”

He added: “Care must be improved substantially. Joint pain sufferers must receive adequate, reliable treatment more quickly, treatment that not only fights pain but also enables the joints to retain their functionality.

“We want to show what is needed to achieve this objective and raise awareness about how worthwhile it can be to invest in the treatment of joint pain.”

Tags: Europe | Pain Relief | Rheumatology

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