According to the American Pain Foundation, more than 50 million people in the United States experience chronic pain that interferes with daily life. But most pain is untreated, undertreated or improperly treated.

Many patients, particularly men and elders, underreport pain for a variety of reasons. Some patients fear complaints will not be taken seriously, whereas others believe relief is not available. Some physicians do not treat pain sufficiently because they fear that patients using opioids will develop a dependency or addiction.

There are a number of ways that patients can address this issue, including getting a correct diagnosis, being an advocate for pain needs, making a commitment to pain reduction and carrying out lifestyle improvements that may help, such as exercise and weight loss.