Chronic pain can evolve slowly or during the acute phase of injury, only to become a habilitative and quality of life complication beyond the medical and rehabilitative treatments phases of recovery and health maintenance. The seriousness of any pain condition may eclipse the attention of acute health care providers and can evolve into a potential retardant
to the injured person for achieving medical and rehabilitative treatment goals. The purpose of this article is to bring to the attention of life care planners and case managers the prevalence of chronic pain among adults in the United States as well as the cost of chronic pain to the U.S. healthcare system. Additionally, we hope to impress upon the reader the significant effect that chronic pain can have in the recovery process of the person for whom a life care plan may be developed. [read more]