State Proclaims September "Pain Awareness Month"

Advanced Pain Management (APM), the Wisconsin chapter of the American Society for Pain Management Nursing (ASPMN) and the American Pain Foundation – Action Network (APF) today announced that September has been proclaimed Pain Awareness Month by the Wisconsin Office of the Governor. With the proclamation, doctors with APM and representatives of ASPMN and APF hope to improve quality of life for those suffering from pain and increase access to appropriate pain management treatment.

“Pain is a costly and growing epidemic that tens of thousands of Wisconsinites suffer through every day – more than from cancer, heart disease and diabetes combined,” said Dr. Dermot More-O’Ferrall, president of Advanced Pain Management. “Pain Awareness Month is a great way for people in Wisconsin to recognize the symptoms of pain and get appropriate relief, or help their neighbors who suffer from unrelieved pain.”

Throughout September, APM will host a website – www.yourpainscore.com – to help people determine the level of their pain and how to get the appropriate help, as well as a special section on APM’s Facebook page – http://www.facebook.com/advancedpainmanagement -- to engage current and future patients in discussion about pain management and pain issues. APM will also host a pain support group for Milwaukee-area residents on Thursday, Sept. 23, at 6 p.m. at the APM clinic (7400 W. Rawson Ave., Suite 143) in Franklin. .

According to More-O’Ferrall, the most common type of pain is lower back pain, followed by severe headaches or migraines. The American Pain Foundation indicates 80 percent of Americans will suffer from back pain at some point in their lives. Pain is also the leading cause of lost work days, and in Wisconsin, millions of dollars worth of productivity is lost due to pain, said More-O’Ferrall.

“The American Society for Pain Management Nursing encourages everyone in Wisconsin to learn more about pain and its consequences, and help provide a better quality of life for those who live with unrelieved pain,” said Deb Gentile, president of the Wisconsin Chapter of ASPMN.

Advanced Pain Management is one of the largest pain management groups in the country, with more than 25 board-certified/eligible physicians offering the most advanced techniques for pain control. Advanced Pain Management physicians operate out of more than 35 locations in metro Milwaukee, the greater Madison area, Racine, Sheboygan and Green Bay. You can find Advanced Pain Management online at www.apmhealth.com, and on Facebook and Twitter.