In chronic pain? So are one in four Americans, says report

70 million Americans with chronic pain!!!! And by what definition is this based on? Talk about flawed research at arriving at this number. Obviously the research here seems to be counting people that simply abuse opiates as chronic pain. Just because someone is a drug addict doesn't necessarily mean they have pain. But here they probably include it as a psychological pain. Lets just make everyone in america a drug addict and then no one has to go to work so then there would be no money left to pay ourselves the disability checks that we would all look forward too. OR maybe the research is right and now we know why America is broke - 1 in 4 men, women and children cannot work and they expect the government to give them a monthly check and pay their medical bills and give them free medication while the other 1 in 4 people go to work and bust their butts so these people can have the benefit of staying home. Chronic pain is a big financial drain on America!

As a chronic pain sufferer for over 6 years, I can attest that it is a difficult road. People discriminate and are insulting if they cannot visably see your disability. Narrow minded individuals ask questions such as "why don't you work?" and why don't you just take medication?" even my own family members discriminate and are mean. I need help in the grocery store which draws rude stares. I wish the general public would educate themselves of chronic pain issues and stop abusing those of us that are suffering. Many of us lost everything,jobs, income, savings and any hope of returning to work when we are chronically ill and cannot be treated.

I think the number of people who suffer from chronic pain is about the same number of married individuals

Hello,
Pain is disabling, and crippling. I feel like a dead beat even though, I most likly put 35 to 40 years in hours working. But I have severe pain, and people think you just want drugs are do not want to work. I would go back to work in a second if I could. I would not wish anyone with the pain I experience. I have had about 8 surgeries in the last 6 years on my cervical spine. And they want to do more, and I just do not know. Sometimes I have tears running down my face at 3 or 4 am in the morning when the pain is really bad.
Walt Smith

Dear Crack and Crank,
You probably were a junky and now are a born-again Republican. You must hate your job so much that you despise everyone who is not working. Hey, I am sorry that the world put you on the cross by making you go to work every day! You don't believe in pain huh? Do you believe in God? Do you believe in anything? You must be Mr. Perfect Hardcore scientist, economist, expert in everything. Better yet, just make a joke out of everything so that you can keep laughing when arthritis finally knocks you on your ass. You can tell your stupid jokes to the other people in the hospice. I pity you much more than the people who are in pain. They just have a physical disease. You have a mental one.