“One in five Canadians struggles with chronic pain,” that’s according to a report on CBC News (April 30, 2014). The study quotes Dr. Pat Morley-Forster, the Medical Director of the pain management program at St. Joseph’s Health Care in London, Ontario as saying:”Overall, about one in five Canadians suffer from some kind of chronic pain, whether it be a chronic headache, chronic back pain, or pain after a surgical procedure.” She adds that chronic pain “is loosely defined as pain that lasts longer than three months—the usual time needed for injuries or wounds to heal.”
In the piece, CBC’s Elaine Chau points out that “Doctors say that senior women are the demographic most affected by chronic pain and with our aging population, the numbers are expected to rise.”
There can be several causes for chronic pain, including pain associated from injuries received in a motor vehicle accident, a sports injury or even the result of slipping and falling on a slippery sidewalk. Chronic pain can develop when the original injury (the result of a traumatic accident) is diagnosed as a soft tissue injury. Despite treatment, the individual still suffers acute daily pain long after the injury should have healed.
Symptoms can include ongoing headaches, stiffness, fatigue, numbness or tingling in the hands or feet. Chronic pain is often difficult to diagnose because of the lack of obvious outward signs. A proper diagnosis by a Physiatrist, Rheumatologist and Psychiatrist may be necessary to help prove the existence of chronic pain and disorders like post-traumatic Fibromyalgia. Although for several decades the insurance industry has attempted to deny the existence of fibromyalgia and other chronic pain conditions and their relationship to trauma, the syndrome is now widely accepted.
At Horowitz Injury Law we have the expertise, compassion and proven track record to advance your claim. You benefit from nearly 35 years of experience in litigating chronic pain cases. Call us today for a free consultation at 416-925-4100.
