It was on the news. 1 in 5 people over 45 suffer some form of chronic pain. And these are the ones who present to a medical professional for relief. It makes me wonder how many more don't present for assistance. That news report said more women than men look for help. That's no surprise. I met a man who mumbled "I just gotta push through." He shuffled off into a hail storm of pain lasting 24/7. I suspect many women will see chronic pain as a threat to be addressed. But many more men will see chronic pain as a challenge to put up with or push through...until that pain becomes so bad it has to be addressed. I know generalising is a dangerous sport but I think I'm correct with this.
The majority of males do not handle well, almost any form of short term or chronic condition. We just don't have the patience for it. So we either push through a short term issue or struggle with the consequences of a chronic condition. And this struggle can be as serious as the condition itself. A dilemma affecting young and old alike. Deeply buried thoughts on a long term illness or injury are not that easy to dig up. Because it's painful to do so, that's why. I accept pain is an important signal of something wrong. But in a chronic condition, it's a heavy load to carry.
1 in 5 over 45 with chronic pain sounds like a lot of people. It is. I wonder the ratio if Under 45s are included. I, like everyone else know at least one person with life altering pain. I'm challenged to 'pay it forward' to folk similar to myself to encourage them to keep looking across the healing professions for care that makes a difference where it counts. It's the least I can do. A line in a recent TV ad summed it up, "These times make you think of what is really important." How true is that.