For the nearly 1 in 4 US adults with chronic pain, employers’ expectations of a healthy body can lead to shame

Having to deal with chronic pain at work is all too familiar for Americans in many occupations.

By: Beth Schinoff, University of Delaware and Elana Feldman, UMass Lowell, The Conversation

Outlets: The Conversation

Published: March 23, 2026

Words: 1,109

Last Updated: 4 months, 1 week ago

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By Beth Schinoff, University of Delaware and Elana Feldman, UMass Lowell

Your back pain gets worse as you sit through a long meeting. Your wrist pain flares when you’re typing furiously to meet a tight deadline. During a busy shift at the grocery store, you feel a migraine coming on.

If that sounds familiar, you’ve got plenty of company. About 1 in 4 U.S. adults suffer from chronic pain. The share who say they …

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