A message from the coordinator

 Receive Pain Management message updates by email

See previous messages

Oregon Celebrates Pain Awareness Month

November 2009

By Jennifer Wagner
Pain Management coordinator

Jennifer M. Wagner
Pain Management Coordinator

September was Pain Awareness Month and I'm proud to announce that Oregon sponsored a series of events highlighting pain management issues.

On August 21, Governor Kulongoski joined 20 other governors from throughout the country by signing a proclamation declaring September as Pain Awareness Month.

The Oregon Pain Management Commission and the Pain Society of Oregon displayed their Pain Patient Visual Arts Project in the lobby of the Capitol September 29 - October 1. This project is a very powerful and moving compilation of art work completed by pain patients.

The highlight of the month was the work we did to raise awareness of pain management issues in veterans.

The escalating burden of pain among military/veterans

• Pain is a major issue among military personnel and veterans, who are at heightened risk for injury and combat wounds.
• Pain intensity is significantly worse among veterans than the general public.
• Veterans have a high incidence of psychological distress and other medical comorbidities, including post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, amputations, traumatic brain injuries, substance abuse and exacerbations of previous injuries. Exposure to trauma and psychological stress worsens pain and complicates effective pain treatment.
• Although today's body armor and rapid evacuation to medical care are saving lives, there are more maimed and shattered limbs than ever before, with instances of amputation double previous rates.
• Current data from non-severely injured soldiers (OIF/OEF) registering for VA care indicate that pain problems will be among the most common complaints for all returning military, and that pain prevalence may surpass rates observed following the Gulf War. Wounded soldiers returning from Iraq and Afghanistan are expected to overwhelm pain clinics.
• While military medical care is the best in the world, there are still long-term problems with managing disability and chronic pain.
• The burden of chronic pain extends beyond the individual to include the whole family. Many struggle to cope with military separation and subsequent war-related stress and injuries.

Last year while attending a national pain meeting I had the pleasure of meeting Derek McGinnis. Derek is the author of Exit Wounds: A Survival Guide to Pain Management for Returning Veterans and their Families.
www.painfoundation.org/learn/programs/military-veterans/

As a Navy corpsman, Derek was wounded during the intense fighting in Fallujah, Iraq, in November 2004. McGinnis suffered an above-the-knee amputation, traumatic brain injury, eye damage and multiple shrapnel wounds.

Derek wrote this book because when he was struggling with pain, "there was no guide, no map, no mentor to steer me through the minefield I was navigating." This book is both a guide to pain management for veterans and family members and also the inspiring story of how one man, with the support of his family and fellow vets, "locked on" to a mission to survive and thrive despite near-death injuries and a painful path to recovery.

Derek flew to Oregon on September 29 and spent two days with me here at the Capitol. Derek testified before the House and Senate veterans committees, met with a number of legislators and visited the Oregon Department of Veteran Affairs. On September 30, Derek spoke about his experiences at a ceremony held at the Iraqi-Afghanistan Freedom Memorial. The event was attended by many veterans, legislators, Oregon Pain Management Commission members, Pain Society of Oregon members, staff from various state agencies and the media.

Dr. Bruce Goldberg, director of DHS and Jim Willis, director of the Oregon Department of Veteran Affairs, announced that a copy of Derek's book would be made available to any Oregon veteran who requests one for free. If you would like a copy of the book please contact me at 503-945-7009 or by e-mail at jennifer.m.wagner@state.or.us

While September was an important month in terms of raising awareness, I encourage each and every one of the 76.5 million Americans in pain, their families and friends to become a pain care advocate by seeking support, learning about their condition and treatment options and spreading the word about the right to timely and appropriate pain care.

~Jennifer