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17 Myths About Chronic Pain

What you don't know about chronic pain might hurt you. Get the surprising facts! (19 Photos)

Laura Flynn McCarthy on May 11, 2012 at 2:06PM

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Are You One of the 100 Million?

That’s how many American adults live with chronic pain -- about 100 million. That’s more than the number of people affected by heart disease, cancer and diabetes combined, according to a report from the Institute of Medicine. Pain is a leading cause of sick days from work and school, and the reason for about 20 percent of all visits to doctors in the United States Yet, there is widespread lack of understanding about what chronic pain is, who has it and what can be done about it. Here are 17 common myths and facts about chronic pain.

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