Pain Epidemic: Roughly 3.5 million chronic pain sufferers in the Netherlands

More than 3.5 million people in the Netherlands live with chronic pain, according to research by Ipsos I&O. Women were found to be 18 percent more likely to experience it. Doctors who specialize in pain management have labeled this widespread issue a "pain epidemic," NOS reported this week.

The Ipsos I&O study found that 70 percent of the Dutch people living with chronic pain experience it daily. Pain is considered chronic when it lasts for more than three months and isn’t directly related to acute causes like an injury, illness, or surgery.

Chronic pain can be so overwhelming that it often causes people to withdraw from social activities. The research showed that 83 percent of participants said their daily lives are affected by their pain. The most common impacts of chronic pain include social restrictions, identified by 39 percent.

Young adults aged 18 to 34 who suffer from chronic pain are even more likely to experience limitations in social activities than the average. About 50 percent reported such difficulties. Additionally, 25 percent of participants said they felt limited at work, and 24 percent reported suffering from mental health issues.

The study also found that 57 percent of Dutch people with chronic pain feel understood and supported by those around them and in their workplaces. However, young adults feel less supported, with 30 percent saying they do not feel understood.