Approximately one in two adults with arthritis in the U.S. suffers from chronic pain. And about one in five suffers from high-impact chronic pain—meaning, they have pain that lasts three months or longer and at least one major activity restriction.
So, clearly, there are many people in the U.S. missing out on all that life has to offer because they have constant pain and stiffness in their joints.
But it doesn’t need to be this way.
In fact, as I’ve always said, pain is a warning sign that something’s wrong. And very often, it’s something that can be fixed! So, in a moment, I’ll share with you one simple, safe, and natural approach that research shows relieves pain faster—and more effectively—than morphine!
But first, let’s back up to discuss why research into arthritis lags so far behind…
Arthritis doesn’t get any respect—or funding
Arthritis is the No. 1 leading cause of pain and disability in the U.S. And each year, it costs approximately $300 billion in medical expenses and lost work.
Plus, the problem is only getting worse. In fact, it’s estimated that almost 80 million adults in the U.S. will suffer from it within the next 20 years.
The reason why arthritis gets the short shrift is pretty simple…
In our crony, corporatist medical world, fatal diseases like cancer and heart disease get more attention and funding. And functional conditions like arthritis, which don’t directly cause death, get less.
Of course, the mainstream’s woeful neglect of addressing the causes of arthritis pain directly contributes to the current opioid epidemic—which is a tragic cause of death (and has gotten worse during the pandemic, since people were deprived of safe and effective non-drug approaches to managing pain).
In fact, up until very recently, doctors doled out opioid drugs like Halloween candy to patients with chronic arthritis pain. But these heavy-duty drugs simply block the brain from registering pain. They don’t do anything at all to address the actual cause of the pain.
Plus, pain is complex and multifactorial. And it’s intricately related to other factors—such as anxiety, body constitution, and sleep.
Thankfully, some researchers have begun to address the huge problem of arthritis pain…
Chronic arthritis pain has many adverse effects
Last November, at the American College of Rheumatology annual meeting, a group of researchers presented new findings from a study about the impact of chronic arthritis pain on daily life.
For this study, they analyzed data on nearly 60,000 men and women who took part in the U.S. National Health Interview Survey. And they found that chronic arthritis pain causes many serious side effects—including psychological distress, work disability, and changes to lifestyle.
They suggested that using non-drug approaches—such as acupuncture—can safely and effectively relieve chronic arthritis pain and its adverse effects.
In fact, researchers with the National Institutes of Health (NIH) came to that very same conclusion more than 20 years ago! (I know because I was there.) And a 2017 study found that acupuncture works better and faster than IV morphine in relieving pain. Plus, of course, it has fewer side effects.
In addition to acupuncture, there are many other effective, non-drug approaches to treating chronic arthritis pain. You can learn all about them in my online Arthritis Relief and Reversal Protocol. You can also learn about how to find qualified and compassionate practitioners who provide these non-drug therapies, even during the pandemic. Learn more about this protocol, or enroll today, by clicking here.
Source:
“When It Just Won’t Stop: Chronic Pain and High Impact Chronic Pain Among U.S. Adults with Arthritis.” American College of Rheumatology, accessed 6/27/20. (acrabstracts.org/abstract/when-it-just-wont-stop-chronic-pain-and-high-impact-chronic-pain-among-u-s-adults-with-arthritis/)