If you’ve ever felt a lingering stiffness in your neck or aching in your elbow, you’re not alone. In a new study, the Novaalab team discovered that 91% of Americans have recently experienced recurring pain. From bad backs to a tight jaw, people of all ages are plagued by a wide variety of ailments.
At Novaalab, we offer people all over the world a non-invasive way to manage their pain, whether it be chronic or simply recovery from an intense workout. That’s why we set out to learn more about the suffering Americans are facing and what methods they have tried to treat their pain. To do this, we surveyed residents in 40 of the largest U.S. cities and asked about the recurring pain they face. We asked a variety of questions from the severity of their pain, where on their body they experience it, what has caused this pain, treatments they have sought out, and more.
Using these responses, we awarded points to answers that represented chronic pain. We then calculated the average score by city and adjusted them on a scale of 0 to 100, with 100 representing the most pain. Read on to learn which city is the pain capital of America.
Key Takeaways
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91% of Americans have recently experienced recurring pain.
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Residents in Las Vegas, NV, Orlando, FL, and Tampa, FL, experience the most pain on average.
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Lower back and neck pain are the most common areas Americans experience pain.
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Stress or anxiety and poor posture are the main causes of Americans' pain.
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Cost and preference for self-management are the most common reasons Americans have not received the care they want.
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Half of Americans have spent $100 or more on pain relief in the past year.
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Smoking, alcohol, and fast food are the top three things Americans would give up to be pain-free for one year.
U.S. Cities That Endure Recurring Pain the Most
Recurring pain can be frustrating as it impacts your daily life and at times can keep you from doing the things you enjoy. What was once a leisurely walk around the neighborhood with your dog can turn into a chore that you dread because of the strain it puts on your back and feet. This, unfortunately, is the reality for 91% of Americans who say they have recently experienced recurring pain.
When zooming in to a local level, we found it’s Las Vegas, NV, residents who endure the most with a pain index of 98.67 out of 100. Contributing to this ranking are the 78% of residents who say they have experienced more than a week of pain in the past 30 days, the most of any city.
Orlando, FL, is up next with a pain index of 96.37 out of 100, claiming second place. While there are a variety of obstacles that can prevent a person from seeking care for their pain, 3 in 4 Orlando residents say the cost of care has kept them from getting treatment.
In third place on the pain index is Tampa, FL, where nearly 2 in 5 residents say their work schedule or other time constraints are preventing them from seeking care for their pain. This is followed by Cleveland, OH, (93.72) and Phoenix, AZ, (93.56) in fourth and fifth place, respectively.
Overall, on a scale of 10, nearly 2 in 5 Americans consider their pain a 7 or higher on its worst days. For some people, lying in bed is the only way to feel relief from their pain, but for nearly 1 in 5 Americans, their pain is making it difficult to even sleep as it keeps them awake four or more nights a week.
From Necks to Knees: Our Most Common Pain Points
After uncovering where in the country Americans are enduring the most pain, we turned our attention to the parts of their body that ache the most. It will likely come as no surprise that lower back pain leads the way with 62% of people reporting it. From sitting at our desk at work to lifting a box in the garage, we do many simple tasks each day that can trigger pain in our lower back.
Coming in second place for the most common areas that cause Americans pain are necks, with 41% of people noting it. Similar to lower backs, this is another part of the body that can be easily strained by things like poor posture, likely contributing to the high percentage of people who endure the pain.
Up next is shoulder pain, which 40% of people report, followed by knee pain, which nearly 2 in 5 people experience. Wrapping up the top 5 most common pain points are upper and mid backs, which are reported by 36% of people.
When totaling the percentages for all back pain, that comes out to 97% of Americans feeling discomfort in some part of their backs. Whether you’re dealing with back, neck, or knee pain, there is a red light therapy device that can help. Check out the full Novaalab device catalog to browse our vast array of options.
When you’re in pain, it’s common to say things like, “I’d give anything for this pain to stop,” so that led us to wonder what Americans would actually be willing to give up in exchange for one pain-free year. To our surprise, smoking (79%) and alcohol (75%) were the most common answers. For nearly 3 in 4 people saying “goodbye” to McDonald’s burgers and Burger King’s fries would be an easy choice as they’d opt for giving up fast food in exchange for no pain.
While there isn’t a magic fix for pain that can be exchanged for cutting out things from your life, many treatments can help to reduce or even eliminate pain in some cases. So as experts in red light therapy, we wanted to gain more insight into the treatments Americans have sought out for relief.
For 3 in 4 people, treatment is as simple as over-the-counter pain relievers, making it the most common relief method Americans utilize. In second place is heat and cold therapy as more than two-fifths report using the method. This is followed by a more physically active approach with stretching, yoga, and pilates claiming third place, with nearly 2 in 5 people reporting it.
Causes of Pain and the Obstacles to Feeling Better
As a final aspect of our study, we wanted to uncover the sources of the recurring pain Americans experience. While you may expect poor posture (49%) and old injuries (48%) to top the list, we learned it’s actually stress and anxiety (50%) that are causing the most aches.
According to experts, chronic stress can impact all parts of your body, not just your mind. Tension brought on by stress or anxiety can lead to headaches as well as muscle stiffness that can be felt everywhere from your neck to your shoulders.
For 47% of people, poor sleep is the main cause of their pain. While finding the right mattress and pillow is crucial for comfort, good, quality sleep can ensure that you are waking up feeling refreshed rather than sore.
While some pain can be cured with medicine, sometimes further care is required. For 58% of Americans, the cost associated with that treatment has prevented them from getting the care they need. Not all people are limited by funds, however, as more than two-fifths of Americans say they prefer to self-manage their pain rather than seeking care.
The third most common reason people have not sought care is the feeling that their symptoms are not severe enough, which nearly 2 in 5 people report. This is followed by work schedule or other time constraints (37%) and difficulty finding providers (35%), which are the fourth and fifth most common reasons, respectively.
While many Americans have struggled to get the care they need, we at Novaalab were happy to find that our devices could help to solve each of the reasons people reported. With our red light therapy devices, there won’t be any surprise medical bills showing up in the mail, it allows you to self-manage, and you can feel relief from the comfort of your own home. Figure out which device is best for you by taking our quiz to receive personalized recommendations today.
Although some people manage to push through their pain to go about their day, others struggle to do things they’d like. When asking about the activities missed out on due to pain, we discovered that 42% of Americans have struggled to participate in their hobby.
Similarly, nearly 2 in 5 people say their recurring pain has made it difficult to do household chores, while 31% have missed social events as a result. For nearly 1 in 4 Americans recurring pain has prevented them from having sex, and 22% say it has kept them from going to work.
Find Relief with Novaalab
Whether you are an athlete seeking recovery options or an office worker looking for remedies to ease pain from poor posture, the team at Novaalab is here to help. With a variety of red light therapy devices to choose from, you can begin your journey of utilizing science-backed technology to rejuvenate, repair, and radiate confidence.
If you need a device to provide relief over large or multiple areas of your body, our Novaa light pad can be adjusted to target everything from your back to your neck. Or you can target smaller areas with our Novaa knee ultra and the Novaa light boot, which provide a drug-free, non-invasive option to relieving pain in specific parts of your body. Get started today and check out our catalog of red light therapy devices to find the best fit for you.
Methodology
In this study, we set out to learn in which cities Americans are experiencing the most recurring pain. To do this, we surveyed residents in 40 of the largest U.S. cities and asked a variety of questions including where on their body they experience this pain, relief methods they have sought out, activities their pain has kept them from recently, and more.
We then awarded points to answers that represented recurring pain and calculated the average score by city. Finally, we adjusted those scores on a scale of 0 to 100, with 100 representing the most pain.
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