Don’t shrug off musculoskeletal pain

Don’t shrug off musculoskeletal pain, warns CSP

The CSP is urging people to be proactive about painful musculoskeletal (MSK) conditions, after a survey showed that many people delay seeing their GP.

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 In a survey of 2,000 adults conducted in the UK by health insurer Bupa, about one in four (23 per cent) said they would only see their GP after having muscle, bone or joint pain for a month or more.

In addition, one in three (33 per cent) said they would manage their condition with painkillers rather than seeing a doctor.

CSP professional adviser Priya Dasoju told Frontline: ‘People with painful MSK conditions should seek medical attention as soon as possible if the pain is severe or persistent.

‘Painkillers can provide pain relief but this may be short-term and not address the underlying cause of symptoms.

‘Leaving an injury until it gets worse can lead to longer-term problems and a recurrence of symptoms. But receiving appropriate treatment, such as physiotherapy, early on can speed recovery and ensure appropriate advice is received about how to self-manage the condition and avoid it coming back’.

The survey also found that

  • three respondents in 10 (30 per cent) said muscle, bone or joint pain was not a serious medical problem
  • one in 10 (11 per cent) said they lacked the time to see a doctor about their condition
  • almost four in 10 (37 per cent) would consider treating or managing their condition with alternative therapies, such as yoga or going to the gym