Half of UK ‘living in pain’, survey finds

Half of people in the UK are living in constant or regular pain, research has found.

A survey of 2,002 people in the UK, commissioned by Well Pharmacy, found that vast swathes of the population were battling with pain.

One in three (36%) said they suffered chronic pain, and around the same proportion regularly took pain killers such as paracetamol, ibuprofen or aspirin in order to cope.

However, many were having to rely on much stronger pain relief for their condition. Forty-seven per cent said they were currently taking, or had previously taken, prescription-only pain medication including co-codamol, amitriptyline and oxycodone.

Many were turning to the internet to find a solution for their ailment. Twenty-one per cent admitted to searching for online advice rather than speaking to a healthcare professional.

Neck and back pain were the most common ailments among the survey respondents who reported experiencing pain, with 48% of respondents stating they suffered pain in these areas.

Muscle pain was experienced by 39% of respondents, headaches were encountered by 26%, and 9% had chest pain.

Wendy Lee, patient safety and experience manager at Well Pharmacy, said the pharmacy chain had seen an increase in patients asking for pain relief advice and support in its branches over the past year.

“Living in pain can really affect people’s lives – both in terms of their independence and mobility but also their mental health,” she said.

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“The internet can be a great starting point when feeling various aches and pains, it is quick and easy to turn to search engines to find a list of symptoms that match your own. But it doesn’t take into account other factors such as like personal and family history to make an accurate diagnosis.”

She reminded patients to seek support for pain relief from a pharmacist.