Practice Fusion, a company that provides a free, web-based Electronic Health Record application to physicians, has announced the top 20 most diagnosed conditions in the U.S. in 2010.  Among those top 20, four are chronic pain conditions.

  1. Hypertension
  2. Hyperlipidemia (high cholesterol/triglycerides)
  3. Diabetes
  4. Back pain
  5. Anxiety
  6. Obesity
  7. Allergic rhinitis
  8. Reflux esophagitis
  9. Respiratory problems
10. Hypothyroidism
11. Visual refractive errors
12. Osteoarthritis
13. Fibromyalgia/myositis, neuritis
14. Malaise and fatigue
15. Pain in joint
16. Acute laryngopharyngitis
17. Acute maxillary sinusitis
18. Major depressive disorder
19. Acute bronchitis
20. Asthma

As I looked over the list, two things struck me right away...

First – Given that one-fifth of the most frequently diagnosed conditions involve chronic pain, it would seem reasonable that the medical community in general, and medical schools in particular, should start spending a lot more time teaching doctors how to treat chronic pain.  I've been told that most medical schools only spend about one hour training doctors on the treatment of pain.  And I suspect a good portion of that hour is devoted to dealing with acute pain such as post-surgical pain, pain from injuries, etc.  A great deal more time, money and research needs to focus on treating chronic pain.