If you have read my previous posts you know that I have been actively advocating to remove all barriers that inhibit or deny effective treatment to people living in pain.  Most of us who live with chronic pain know that these barriers can be in the form of legislation, policy regulations, insurance requirements and even the negative perception that some people in the medical community (and general public) may have towards pain and the stigma that some treatments carry.   It Is Up To Us to increase awareness about the issues related to living with pain and the effective treatment of pain and to fight to remove the barriers facing so many.  I am going to discuss two specific ways each of us can do this.

According to the National Center for Health Statistics over 70 million Americans report that they experience pain.  This is not a small issue that is affecting a few people; it is a major issue impacting the lives of millions and we can help make the situation better.  It Is Up To Us to speak out to legislators, agency officials (such as the FDA and Worker’s Compensation), inform our family and friends about the issues through publications from the American Pain Foundation (APF), and keep on top of the legislative and regulatory issues that are being considered by becoming a member of the APF.

This is a simple thing to do.  Go to www.painfoundation.org and sign on as a member.  You can volunteer to help in several ways;

1.     Become a member and receive action alerts that will notify you of potential policies that relate to the treatment of pain and then, if you are able, do as the Action Alert asks, which is usually to sign a letter or petition for or against a potential Bill.  You may remember my asking you to sign a letter in support of the National Pain Policy Act, which has four very positive objectives and has been accepted as an amendment of the Health Care Reform Act. (You can learn more about this Act by reading my previous posting on the four objectives.) We continue to monitor this Bill and work to keep it in tact as the process continues.

2.     You can become a volunteer through the Action Network.  Click on the icon on the left to find out what this means. Volunteers are called Leaders, meaning Leaders in the Fight for Effective Pain Treatment, and we agree to actively work to reach out to media, legislators, community members and the medical community about the issues facing those of us in pain.

3.     If you are not ready to take on the responsibilities of a Leader, then become a volunteer and work with the Leader in your state to help fulfill the plans developed for your state.  September is Pain Awareness Month and many Leaders are currently putting together programs for that month and I am sure can use volunteer help.  Look at the State Directory on the web site and see who your State Leader(s) is, there may be more than one so perhaps you could contact the one closest to you to see how you can help.