Cumulative Trauma Injuries:
Cumulative trauma and the overuse of soft tissue cause Repetitive Stress Injuries (RSI). Repetitive Stress Injuries (RSI) caused by cumulative trauma are now the major cause of injuries in the workforce. Statistics show that the number of patients suffering from cumulative trauma have now surpassed those suffering from the common cold. RSI cases have increased at a phenomenal rate of 670% over the last five years. Recently, the health care costs for RSI in the US. Cumulative injuries have increased to such a high level it is now the largest health care expenditure. It is estimated that the cost of RSI's in the U.S. alone exceeds $110 billion yearly. The incidence of RSI's is sky rocketing.
Chronic Pain? LVPRC believes: "No one needs to live in Pain."
Undeniably, one fact about chronic pain is : more often than not, it is untreated or under treated. In a survey last year by the American Pain Society, only fifty-five (55) percent of all patients with non-cancer-related pain and fewer than forty (40) percent with severe pain said their pain was under control. But it does not have to be this way!Chronic pain is second only to respiratory infections as the reason patients seek medical care. Yet because physicians often do not take a patient's pain seriously or treat it adequately, nearly half of chronic-pain patients have changed doctors at least once. More than a quarter of patients have changed doctors at least three times.
When uncontrolled, pain can wreak havoc on a person's life, dramatically reducing overall quality of life and interfering with relationships. When your ability to function is limited, you may become less productive at work and at home. In order to prevent further injury or pain, you may also find yourself avoiding hobbies and other activities that normally bring you happiness Chronic pain can cause you to lose your appetite, feel weak, and/or depressed. Depression is very common among people with pain and can actually worsen pain sensations. If you think you are depressed, seek help.
Beyond the human suffering, under treated or untreated pain drives up the cost of healthcare, extends the length of stays in hospitals, increases emergency room visits and leadis to unplanned clinic visits.
