More Than Half of Americans Plagued By Pain

One thing all Americans have in common? Chronic pain.

More than half of U.S. adults suffer from pain, with backs and legs the most common sources, according to researchers from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS).

Overall, the investigators found that nearly 59% of American men and women were saddled with pain. Pain is one of the most common presenting complaints to a doctor's office.

It is often the body's warning sign that something may be wrong. Pain is a symptom and not a disease, so when experiencing new pain, it is important to seek medical advice to help diagnose the cause and to ensure that it is not an emergent or urgent medical condition.

The researchers found that 39% of adults had back pain, 37% had hip, knee or foot pain, and nearly one-third had hand, arm or shoulder pain in the past three months. About one in 10 suffered from toothaches.

Read more at US News.