Chronic Pain & Musculoskeletal Disorders
About This Condition
Chronic pain affects an estimated 50 million Americans and is the leading cause of long-term disability in the country. Musculoskeletal conditions — including osteoarthritis, chronic low back pain, tendinopathy, and fibromyalgia — are among the most common reasons for primary care visits and a primary driver of opioid prescribing. The dominant medical model treats pain pharmacologically — NSAIDs, muscle relaxants, gabapentinoids, opioids — often without addressing the underlying structural, inflammatory, and neurologic mechanisms driving the pain state. Chronic pain involves central sensitization, neuroinflammation, HPA axis dysregulation, and often significant nutritional and hormonal factors that amplify pain perception.
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