Communication breakdown exists between people with chronic pain, health care providers: Survey

Sep 22 2010

Conversations with health care providers can be challenging at times for all patients, but a new survey commissioned by HealthyWomen and conducted by Synovate Healthcare in July of 2010 reveals a concerning communications breakdown between people with chronic pain and their health care providers.  More than one-third of chronic pain sufferers (36%) have simply learned to live with their often debilitating pain and may be reluctant to speak with a health care provider about their condition, according to a survey of women and men with chronic pain released today. Only 57 percent of respondents agreed that their health care provider understood their symptoms and nearly a quarter (23%) felt their provider was dismissive of their chronic pain.

"It's unfortunate that many people with chronic pain are suffering in silence when health care practitioners, family and friends can provide support and comfort," said Elizabeth Battaglino Cahill, RN, executive director of the nonprofit HealthyWomen, who commissioned the survey. "More than one-third of respondents stated they are reluctant to discuss their pain as they don't want to be seen as a complainer. Yet the vast majority, 84 percent, says they know their own body and are confident the pain they're feeling is not normal."

The survey is part of a new educational campaign – "Explain Your Pain" – launched today by HealthyWomen. This campaign, an educational collaboration between HealthyWomen and Pfizer Inc, seeks to encourage and strengthen dialogue between sufferers of chronic pain, including those with fibromyalgia, and their health care providers, family and friends. Fibromyalgia is one of the most common chronic pain conditions in the U.S., affecting more than 5 million Americans, mostly women.  

Characterized by chronic widespread muscle pain and tenderness, fibromyalgia can have a debilitating effect on people's lives. In fact, 85 percent of fibromyalgia patients responding to the survey stated that because of their pain, they're not the person they used to be; 65 percent feel trapped by their pain and 90 percent say the condition takes away their ability to do the things they love.

"Fibromyalgia patients can often find relief from their pain if they work closely with a health care provider who is experienced in management of the condition or who is willing to work with them to learn more about the disorder," said David Silver, MD, Former Director of the Chronic Pain Rehabilitation Program at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles. "Clear communication is critical to the diagnosis and management of fibromyalgia, a chronic pain condition.  It's important for patients and health care providers to have open and productive conversations and work together as a team.  What works for one person may not work for another; patients should be confident to find a health care provider that is a good fit for them."

Lack of communication extends to family and friends as well. Only a small fraction of fibromyalgia patients are open and honest with their significant other (34%) and friends (26%) about why they might not be able to do things like go out for lunch or make plans because of their chronic pain condition.