Muscle or joint pain 50% of Europeans get no treatment

Main Category: Arthritis / Rheumatology
Article Date: 17 Mar 2004 - 0:00 PDT

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Recent research indicates that upwards of 50% of people in Europe receive no treatment for muscle or joint pain.

The researchers studied data on 6,000 people in Europe who suffered from musculoskeletal pain. They also questioned 1,500 doctors.

They said that over 50 million European patients get no medical help for chronic pain.

You can read about this study in the journal Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases. The study was carried out by the Arthritis Action Group (UK).

The researchers said that pain management (musculoskeletal) was similar across the eight countries they studied. The eight countries were: UK, France, Germany, Spain, Ireland, Sweden, Italy, and Switzerland.

They found that doctors and patient's viewed the success of treatment differently. Patients did not feel their pain was being managed well, while doctors did. 25% of those with musculoskeletal pain did not try to get medical help.

75% suffered continuous pain, everyday. They described the pain as enough to interfere with their daily routine activities.

The sufferers are very stoical. Even the ones that go out and get a doctor's help, only do so after enduring several months or years of pain. Of the ones who did go and see a doctor, half said they did not get any treatment for the pain. The doctors said differently; they said they offered their patients all types of available treatment and were striving to improve their patients' quality of life.

Aspirin is the most commonly prescribed drug for pain for these people. Aspirin is one of the NSAIDS (Nonsteroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs).

The majority of doctors were worried about the long term effects these drugs could have on their patients' digestive systems if they took them for a long time.

Doctors in Germany tend to recommend exercise and alternative therapies such as herbal medicines and acupuncture.

Most of the patients did not find out what they had from their doctors, they found out from TV, newspapers, radio, physiotherapists and friends and family. A mere 30% said they found out what they had from their doctors. A surprisingly large number of patients surveyed in this study were not well informed about the risks and benefits for treatment(s).

50% of people in Sweden, Ireland, Germany, France and the UK did not know that aspirin (and NSAIDS) had undesirable effects.

It seems, said the researchers, that patients are not getting the right (amount of) information so that they can manage their problems effectively.

The people who carried out this study suggest that doctors underestimate the impact of the pain on their patients' lives, their consequent disability and the mental distress.

In the UK, there is the Expert Patient Programme which helps patients with arthritis manage their condition.

Some UK experts have said that UK doctors do not spend enough time talking about the pros and cons of treatments and their medications.

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