Nearly 8 million Canadians live with chronic pain. As Canada’s population ages, that number is expected to grow to 9 million by 2030.
The associated health care costs, both direct (health care) and indirect (lost production), totalled close to $40 billion in 2019. The opioid crisis and the rise in opioid-related deaths have shown that changing how we manage pain and provide primary care is more critical than ever.
Pain: A Public Health Emergency?
In its 2021 report, the Canadian Pain Task Force stated that pain was a “public health emergency in need of action.” But what exactly should that action look like?
“There needs to be a more integrative approach to pain management,” states Ken Labelle, President of Canadian health product manufacturer Masdel, the parent company behind Magic Bag hot and cold compresses. “If we understand that people’s health is a balancing act between our physical, mental, emotional, spiritual, and environmental health, then we can look at pain from a more holistic perspective. Health care should not just be about sick care—treating the pain or underlying condition—it should also be about prevention, education, awareness, and resilience building.”
With close to 6.5 million Canadians without a family doctor, a more holistic approach to pain management would be widely beneficial on multiple levels. According to the Task Force report, “the lack of specialized pain services, the lack of effective treatment for some chronically painful conditions, long wait times, barriers to access for care, and the scarcity of health professionals trained in pain management exacerbate hopelessness for people who live with pain.”
“It might seem trivial but giving people alternatives to modern medicine, the ability the soothe their pain and find comfort, even temporarily, can be empowering,” explains Masdel Marketing Director Jennifer Neveu. “Natural remedies and OTC products, something as simple and effective as heat therapy from a Magic Bag compress for example, shouldn’t be overlooked in the pain management ecosystem.”
To learn more, visit magicbag.com.
