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National Pain Awareness Month: Recognizing invisible pain

More than 21% of Americans live with chronic pain. Blanca Cobb, who has a master’s degree in psychology, shares ways to recognize different kinds of pain.

GREENSBORO, N.C. — September is National Pain Awareness Month. According to the U.S. Pain Foundation, more than 21% of Americans have chronic pain. When we think of pain, we tend to think of broken bones, blood, and stitches. However, not all pain is visible, and there can be misunderstandings about chronic pain.

A common misunderstanding about pain is that it's visible. And many times, this isn't the case. People can be hurt internally by emotional or physical pain, but others can't see it. And just because you can't see a wound doesn't mean someone isn't hurting.

A myth about pain levels is that they're constant, which isn't always the case. Pain can unpredictably change in severity, making it hard to plan activities. 

Sometimes, there isn't a simple answer to someone's pain. Sometimes, healthcare professionals can't find the source of the pain, or if a source is identified, pain can be hard to manage.

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