More people are living with pain today than before covid emerged
Lifestyle
Health
Chronic pain has increased among adults in the US since 2019, which could be due to a rise in sedentary lifestyles or reduced access to healthcare amid covid-19 restrictions
By Carissa Wong
Covid-19 restrictions helped stem SARS-Cov-2, but also had other consequences
Alex Milan Tracy/Sipa USA/Alamy
Chronic pain has become more common since covid-19 emerged and long covid only accounts for some of the rise.
The coronavirus was first identified in December 2019, which led to lockdowns being implemented around the world within months. Researchers initially warned that such strict restrictions could lead to chronic pain due to reduced access to healthcare, more sedentary lifestyles and possibly lingering symptoms of the infection.
But scientists previously found almost no…
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