It’s important for Disability claims professionals to understand the role of resiliency in someone overcoming challenges related to chronic pain – and insurers should be equipped with tools to help insureds who are dealing with this issue. This blog highlights one person’s journey in dealing with chronic pain.

Chronic pain is defined as pain lasting more than three months. An estimated 1.5 billion people worldwide live with chronic pain, including one in five Americans.¹ The CDC reports “Chronic pain has been linked to numerous physical and mental conditions and contributes to high healthcare costs and lost productivity.”²

Disability claims with chronic pain issues are not easy for the insured as individuals can become depressed and see no opportunities for restored health, improved function, or return to work. The knowledge and skill the claims professional provides in identifying resources and return-to-work opportunities with the employer or vocational rehabilitation can bring hope back to the insured.

One Journey

I had the opportunity to visit with Luanne Cameron, a business and life strategist, to discuss her own journey in dealing with chronic pain.³ Luanne has more than 30 years of Disability claims leadership experience, runs her own insurance agency, and has created the “110 Philosophy,” a management methodology for business and personal success. Her own health issues have included: colitis, hyperparathyroidism, breast cancer and, most recently, small fiber neuropathy.

In our video discussion, she shares the importance of the Disability claims professional knowing what resources are available to the insured, both medically and in their specific community. This includes staying on top of current treatment options and developments.

Treatments

Treatment options for chronic pain include:

• Non-medication options such as physical/occupational therapies, acupuncture, chiropractic, massage, and meditation
• Non-opioid medications such as Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatories, acetaminophen, creams, gels, and patches
• Opioids
• Behavioral Health treatments such as cognitive behavioral therapy, pet therapy, stress management, and biofeedback
• Invasive treatments such as spinal cord stimulators, pain pumps, and surgery
• Additional therapies include Audio Visual Stimulation, Green Light Therapy, and Gene Therapy

While new modes and methods of treatment are continuing to be explored, the FDA recently approved the use of Immersive Virtual Reality in treating chronic pain.

Luanne also shares how her own tools include visualization, resiliency, goal setting, and routine – all things one might consider when exploring chronic pain treatment options.

We know chronic pain is complex and multifaceted, and new approaches and treatments are emerging regularly. Our goal with this discussion is to help claims professionals understand the condition from one person’s perspective, think about treatment options and the biopsychosocial facts impacting each individual, and see the importance of their role in helping insureds dealing with chronic pain.

We hope you find the interview enlightening. Reach out to your Gen Re representative for additional material on this important topic.

Endnotes

1. Haider Warraich, The Song of Our Scars, The Untold Story of Pain, https://www.kqed.org/forum/2010101888779/the-song-of-our-scars-surveys-chronic-pain-in-all-its-complexities
2. Dahlhamer J, Lucas J, Zelaya C, et al., Prevalence of Chronic Pain and High-Impact Chronic Pain Among Adults — United States, 2016. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 2018;67:1001–1006. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.15585/mmwr.mm6736a2, https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/67/wr/mm6736a2.htm#:~:text=An%20estimated %2020.4%25%20(50.0%20million,adults%2C%20adults%20living%20in%20poverty%2C
3. Thank you to Luanne Cameron for participating in this video. https://www.110philosophy.com/