Managing chronic pain in the workplace
Chronic pain is a term you’ve likely heard of or have even experienced yourself. But you may not realize how common it is. 51.6 million American adults, including 200,000 Wellmark Blue Cross and Blue Shield members, live with chronic pain. That’s one in five people. Chronic pain costs the United States economy $560 to $635 billion annually — more than the costs of heart disease, diabetes and cancer combined.
Employees experiencing chronic pain may be looking for help, and there are ways you can support them in the workplace.
What is chronic pain?
According to the International Association for the Study of Pain, chronic pain is defined as an unpleasant sensory and emotional experience associated with, or resembling, actual or potential tissue damage. The nervous system is responsible for regulating pain as a function. For most people, pain is the body’s way of letting the brain know there is an injury or illness present.
The brain creates negative associations to the activity or object that caused the pain to help with avoiding it in the future. But if the brain receives the signal too often, that automatic pain response becomes a learned response, instead, leading to the experience of chronic pain. In some cases chronic pain can occur without prior injury, such as in the cases of stress, anxiety or a lack of sleep.
With chronic pain affecting 20 percent of the population and being the driving force behind 40 percent of doctors’ visits, it’s likely your employees — and your company’s health care spending — are suffering because of it. The biggest problem employers face when managing chronic pain is the fact that 50 percent of wasted health care dollars are spent on unnecessary or insufficient attempts to manage chronic pain.
Chronic pain patients are often stuck in a cycle of doctor’s visits, unnecessary tests, misleading results and returning pain.
Helping employees with chronic pain at work
Given the fact that so many people across the country are dealing with chronic pain, it’s important to offer solutions for employees who are affected. Luckily, there are several easy-to-implement things you can do in the office to help.
Offer compassion and flexibility
Many people who suffer from chronic pain deal with periods of time when the pain is more intense. Letting your employees work from home and/or adjust their hours based on their pain level can go a long way. Approaching the issue with compassion helps employees dealing with chronic pain feel understood and supported.
A provider can help your employees find relief from chronic pain
When employees are in pain, they aren’t themselves. A primary care provider can manage their care and help them find relief. Encourage employees to see their primary care provider and provide resources that make getting care effortless.
Encourage breaks when needed
By fostering a workplace culture that normalizes taking breaks as needed, employees can feel encouraged to listen to their bodies and take a breather during severe bouts of pain.
Educate your employees
Since many chronic illnesses are invisible, some individuals may not fully understand the impact that chronic pain can have on fellow employees. By offering education in the workplace and opening everyone’s eyes to the reality of chronic pain, you can help reduce the stigma for those who are suffering from it.
Ready to learn more?
If you want to learn more about how to keep your employees more engaged and invested in their health care, contact the Wellmark Well-being Team.
Questions? Contact your authorized Wellmark account representative or email us at blueatwork@wellmark.com.