Healthy pain management is a topic on the rise in the healthcare and employer-wellness space due to the increasing misuse of opioids. According to the National Business Group on Health, “Employees with opioid abuse accounted for 64.5% and 90.1% of excess medically related absenteeism and disability costs,” and “nearly one out of every three (32 percent) opioid prescriptions filled through an employer-sponsored health plan has been linked to abuse.” These numbers are astoundingly high, and as such, well-being programs need to step in with education for program participants.
The first of StayWell’s healthy pain management content modules is a Learning Series to build awareness on the topic. The goals of the program are to empower participants with prevention and awareness building tools, and how to safely treat pain.
Participants will learn to:
- Prevent pain in everyday life, workouts and post-injury
- Decrease pain and how to talk about pain management with their doctor
- Manage pain safely, options to treat pain with or without medication
Opioid addiction is a very serious issue, and we are not trying to treat addiction or directly address opiate abuse. The first step in healthy pain management is to stop potential pain medication abuse before it starts, through awareness and alternative methods. The Pain Management Learning Series is here to educate participants who may be at-risk for unhealthy pain management, injuries or currently taking opiates and support our participants struggling with this issue.
The Pain Management Learning Series is available now, with additional pain management content modules set to be released later in 2017. This new program focus is one of many to come that will reach beyond physical well-being, as part of StayWell’s universal, whole-person focus.
If you or someone you know is struggling with opioid addiction, please talk to your doctor or contact the National Opiate Hotline at 1-888-784-6641.
1 https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/65/rr/rr6501e1.htm
2 https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/01/150113121206.htm
