Chronic Pain Statistics

  • More than 1 in 5 adults in the U.S. experience chronic pain. (source)

  • Approximately 8% of adults have high-impact chronic pain. (source)

  • Most (84%) of high-impact chronic pain patients are unable to work outside of the home. (source)

  • Chronic pain is the No. 1 cause of disability and disease burden globally. (source)

  • Chronic pain is significantly more prevalent in women than men. (source)

  • About 65% of adults ages 65 and older experience chronic pain. (source)

  • Adults with less than a high school education make up 24% to 28% of all chronic pain patients. (source)

  • Adults with public health insurance are more likely to report chronic pain than those with private health insurance. (source)

  • Chronic pain is associated with having a total family income of less than $25,000. (source)

  • 80% of adults in the U.S. will experience back pain at some point in their life. (source)

  • More than 4 million people have chronic daily migraines. (source)

  • Chronic neuropathic pain affects 3% to 17% of adults. (source)

  • About 15 million adults report severe joint pain due to arthritis. (source)

  • Approximately 75% of cancer patients live with chronic pain. (source)

  • Women report greater cancer pain severity than men. (source)

  • An estimated 40% of cancer patients experience neuropathic pain. (source)

  • Approximately 20% of lung cancer patients experience pain at the time of their diagnosis. (source)

  • More than 60% of pleural mesothelioma patients report experiencing pain in the chest. (source)

  • Approximately 30% to 50% of peritoneal mesothelioma patients report experiencing pain in the abdomen. (source)

  • People with chronic pain are three times more likely to develop depression and anxiety than those without chronic pain. (source)

  • Approximately 21% to 29% of patients misuse opioids prescribed for chronic pain. (source)

  • Misuse of prescription opioids causes 17,000 overdose deaths annually. (source)

  • People with chronic pain have at least twice the risk of suicide than those without chronic pain. (source)

  • Chronic pain costs approximately $560 to $635 billion annually in medical expenses, disability programs and lost productivity. (source)

  • The total cost of chronic pain is more than that of cancer, diabetes and heart disease. (source)

  • Prescription opioids cost an average of more than $800 out of pocket annually. (source)

  • Patients with moderate pain pay $4,516 more in annual health care costs than those with no pain. (source)

  • Patients with severe pain pay $3,210 more in annual health care costs than those with moderate pain. (source)

  • Prescription medication relieves pain in approximately 58% of people living with chronic pain. (source)

  • Approximately 16% to 19% of chronic pain patients receive at least a 90-day supply of prescription opioids. (source)

  • About 95% of cancer-related pain can be successfully treated. (source)

  • Exercise can reduce pain sensitivity by 60%. (source)

  • Only 36% of chronic pain patients report having “good” or “very good” sleep quality. (source)

Comprehensive Pain