Pain is invisible. It cannot be seen, touched, or measured. But it is still very real for the 100 million Americans whose lives are impacted by chronic pain on a daily basis.

Yet, chronic pain is often misunderstood and invalidated by the chronic pain patient’s family, friends, coworkers, and even their healthcare providers.

To help the public understand the debilitating impacts of chronic pain, September has been designated as Pain Awareness Month.

“The only way we can create change is if we start speaking up–to loved ones, coworkers, neighbors, clinicians, and even policymakers,” said Nicole Hemmenway, Interim CEO of U.S. Pain Foundation, in a statement about Pain Awareness Month released this week. “Pain is silent, but we don’t have to be.”

Physical Therapists are often on the front lines when it comes to treating this silent epidemic. Through exercise, manual therapy, education, and teamwork, the therapy community helps chronic pain patients improve their quality of life, in place of dangerous and highly-addictive medications, such as opioids.

This September, take the time to speak with your patients about their pain, even more than you usually would. Sometimes, being heard can make all the difference.

Disclaimer: The viewpoint expressed in this article is the opinion of the author and is not necessarily the viewpoint of the owners or employees at Healthcare Staffing Innovations, LLC.