Is Chronic Pain a Problem in the US?

You are asking whether chronic pain is a national problem. The answer starts with a number from a national survey, and the number needs its definition attached.

The national figure

NCCIH reports survey results. About 20.4 percent of U.S. adults had chronic pain in a 2019 national health survey, with chronic pain defined as pain on most days or every day in the past 3 months.

Why the definition matters

Chronic pain in that survey means pain on most days or every day in the past 3 months, so the figure counts persistent pain, not an occasional ache. It is a national figure for 2019. It tells you nothing specific about Garfield.

The same test applies to prices. When someone hands you a number, ask which survey or guide stands behind it.

Checking yourself against it

If your pain has lasted most days for three months, you meet the definition the survey used, and the next step is an assessment by a clinician. Ask what that assessment costs and get the answer in writing. For more background, read the MedlinePlus chronic pain page and the NCCIH review of complementary approaches.

Taking the percentage seriously

A large percentage is a reason to take pain seriously, not a reason to accept any price. Check the source behind every number you are handed.