Private and government organizations join hands to launch initiative to effectively deal with corporate pain

This is according to a new survey conducted as part of the launch of a recent campaign by the UAE Ministry of Health aimed at tackling corporate pain.

The initiative also follows a recent study which indicates that loss of productivity due to headaches are estimated to affect 200,000 people daily in the UAE, according to the Centre for Adaptive Disorders and Headache at the University of Pavia in Italy.

The study found that 4-5% of the global population suffers from chronic daily headache, which can generally be treated by over the counter painkillers or by reducing eye strain levels.

"Poor pain management often leads to more serious complications and long term consequences. With proper levels of education amongst the public about proper pain management we will be able to help reduce long term productivity loss due to pain. Pain has a dramatic impact on productivity - and unlike many other factors - it can be managed, reduced or even eliminated,"

said Dr. Haifa Hamad Fares, Family Medicine Specialist for the UAE Ministry of Health.

Pain is a reflective and defensive signal sent by the body's nervous system to alert you that something is wrong. It is an unpleasant sensory and emotional experience associated with actual or potential tissue damage & it serves a vital protective function.

Under a flagship program on pain management called Relief and together with government and private organizations such as Al Futtaim Group and the Dubai Municipality, the UAE Ministry of Health introduced recently UAE Corporate Management (CPM) campaign.

As part of the partnership, employees of participating organizations such as Al Futtaim will be provided with expert knowledge on how to cope with pain in the workplace and ways to enhance productivity.

"Annually, pain costs 50 million lost workdays, more than $3bn in lost wages and more than $100bn in lost productivity in the USA alone. About 75% of that lost production came from reduced work performance, not absenteeism," The Pain Management specialist, DHA, Belhoul Speciality Hospital, Dubai, Dr. Adel Hassan said.

The mother program 'Relief' was launched in June 2008 under the patronage of the Ministry of Health. The campaign aims at putting an end to people suffering from daily pain, as well as to raise awareness of how to improve the general well-being of UAE residents. A key component of the campaign is Corporate Pain Management.

"Pain usually starts in acute shape, as a symptom of a disease, which could disappear if treated early and properly in the first 1-3 months. If delay in the treatment extends 3-6 months, the pain changes from being a symptom to be a disease by itself which becomes a chronic and difficult to manage. The real advice is, not to waste valuable time in treating your acute pain, and seek the proper advice at the proper doctor specialized in pain management," added by Dr. Adel Hassan PhD.

During the launch event, Dr. Adel Hassan also shared 'PAIN' approach, which lays down the most effective management strategy to get rid of the pain. The first is pausing to consider the cause and source of the pain. The next is analyzing how you can help yourself and the methods by which the pain can be managed.

To inquire is the next stage - if you are still unable to determine the most effective course of pain management then seek advice from a knowledgeable and trained professional in the field of pain management, guided by DHA (Dubai Health Authority), EMA (Emirates Medical Association), MOH(Ministry of Health) or ADHA (Abu Dhabi Health Authority).

The last is neutralizing and taking action to get relief from the pain. It tackles common types of pain like headaches, menstrual pain and backache.