Your Health

Naomi Judd Offers Support to Those Living With Chronic Pain

Posted 5/19/2011

Judd wants people with pain and their caregivers to visit www.partnersagainstpain.com.

(NewsUSA) - It may surprise you to learn that before she became a country music icon, Naomi Judd was a critical care nurse. Unlike facing a stadium full of adoring fans, as a nurse she witnessed the daily challenges faced by people with chronic pain and those who care for them.

More recently, Judd watched a dear friend suffer from excruciating pain during his battle with pancreatic cancer. Because he was an educated and empowered patient, he received excellent pain management and was able to live his remaining days to the fullest.

As a spokesperson for the national education program Partners Against Pain, Judd now has 50 million reasons to let others know that they don't need to suffer in silence. That's because the latest statistics show that more than 50 million Americans live with pain, making it one of the top reasons people seek medical care.

Judd is encouraging people with pain and their caregivers to learn as much as they can about proper pain management. "From day to day, pain can limit your ability to enjoy your work, your hobbies -- even rob you of the simple joys of hugging someone you love," says Judd.

Each person's pain is unique and different. In many cases, managing pain requires an integrative approach that combines prescription medicine with complementary techniques such as physical therapy, acupuncture and massage.

Judd wants people to know the journey to appropriate pain management can begin with a visit to the recently updated Partners Against Pain website (www.PartnersAgainstPain.com). The new, user-friendly layout features customized sections for patients, caregivers and healthcare professionals that make it easy find information about various painful conditions, including arthritis, cancer pain and low back pain. Special downloadable features -- such as a Patient Comfort Assessment Guide with a daily pain diary and pain management log -- are also available, along with links to other pain education and advocacy groups.

The website also contains valuable information and tools to help family caregivers meet the unique challenges of caring for loved ones coping with chronic pain.

Partners Against Pain is a national education program provided by Purdue Pharma.