By Pat Anson, PNN Editor

Nearly nine out of ten people with chronic pain say their symptoms have either not improved (51%) or gotten worse (36%) during the pandemic, according to a new Harris poll that found nearly half of respondents (44%) experienced delays in getting treatment due to Covid-19.

The online survey of 810 U.S. adults with chronic back or leg pain was conducted in October and November 2021. It was commissioned by Medtronic, which makes spinal cord stimulators and other neuromodulation devices that treat pain.

Nine in ten pain sufferers said pain impacts their lives on a daily basis, with poor sleep (63%) being the most common reported problem. Pain also negatively affects their mental health (60%), exercise habits (53%), mobility and function (51%), ability to enjoy hobbies (44%), social life (32%) and occupation (33%).

Over one in five (22%) said pain impacts their romantic relationships, including being intimate with a partner or spouse.

"This data bears out what we've heard from our clinician customers and patients for two years – the pandemic has been especially hard on those with chronic pain," Charlie Covert, Vice President & General Manager of Interventional Pain Therapies at Medtronic, said in a press release.

The survey found that nearly one in five pain sufferers (17%) said they have canceled a medical appointment or procedure without rescheduling, with the primary reason being fear of Covid-19 exposure. Only a third of surveyed patients (34%) feel comfortable going into a healthcare facility, and 5% say they will never feel comfortable returning to their provider.

The overwhelming majority of respondents (90%) wish there were more treatment options available to manage their pain. While most are aware of traditional treatments such as physical therapy and oral pain relievers, far fewer are familiar with options such as targeted drug delivery (38%) or spinal cord stimulation (34%).

"There is a tangible human cost to deferred procedures and delayed care. As COVID-19 hopefully begins its transition to a more endemic disease, we expect many of these patients to urgently seek relief through new or more effective treatment modalities,” said Covert. “Our survey demonstrated that an overwhelming majority want more treatment options, yet awareness of spinal cord stimulation and targeted drug delivery options remains relatively low."

The pandemic continues to affect the bottom line for Medtronic. Last month, the company said revenue losses were in the “low-double digits” for its neuromodulation and pain therapy devices.

In a conference call with analysts, Medtronic said the surge of omicron infections in January created “acute periods of worker absenteeism” with its customers, suppliers and staff. While conditions are improving, the company expects pandemic-related issues such as inflation, supply chain issues and healthcare worker shortages to linger.