National Survey Reveals Nearly Half of Americans Suffer From Unexplained Pain and Illness

A new national survey of more than 1,500 U.S. adults has found that nearly half of Americans (48%) are living with ongoing pain or illness that either has no clear explanation or is not responding to medical treatment as expected. The survey, conducted by the Association for the Treatment of Neuroplastic Symptoms in partnership with XandY, reveals that tens of millions of Americans suffer from chronic pain or illness not caused by injury or disease, with costs to the healthcare system greater than for diabetes, cancer, and heart disease combined.

The research shows that the brain can generate pain or illness anywhere in the body through learned nerve pathways that are reversible, known as neuroplastic symptoms. Stress, trauma, emotions, and other life challenges are key contributors to these conditions. According to David Clarke, MD, President of ATNS and a board-certified gastroenterologist, "There are highly effective treatments for these conditions, but few people know about them. They work by training your brain to recognize and turn off unnecessary danger signals."

The survey findings demonstrate the widespread nature of these conditions. Among those most likely to have neuroplastic symptoms, 63% have been experiencing their current symptoms for up to five years, while 37% have had their symptoms for more than five years. The diversity of symptoms is substantial, with 65% reporting chronic back or neck pain; 57% muscle, limb, or joint pain; 43% chronic fatigue; and 35% headaches or migraines, with most patients living with several conditions simultaneously.

Notably, 76-97% of people with symptoms believe their condition could have a psychological cause at least "some of the time," and 47% of those most likely to have neuroplastic symptoms say they are either "definitely" or "probably" willing to try neuroplastic psychological treatment. Recent clinical trials have documented far better outcomes with Neuroplastic Recovery Therapies compared to older methods. In the Boulder Back Pain study, pain improved by an average of 75% in just four weeks. At UCLA, male veterans achieved at least 30% pain relief nearly four times as often (63%) as those treated with traditional cognitive-behavioral therapy (17%).

Co-author Matthew Goldberg, PhD, emphasized that "This is not a fringe issue. Chronic, unexplained pain and illness are an urgent problem for many. Awareness of and access to effective treatments can be life-changing." The organization has released a short video illustrating the human stories behind the research, available at https://symptomatic.me. Co-author Abel Gustafson, PhD, added that "These findings are a roadmap for change. Our long-term vision is to dramatically increase the understanding and treatment of neuroplastic symptoms among the public, patients, and practitioners."

The survey results offer hope that people suffering from neuroplastic conditions would accept and benefit from effective treatment if they become aware of it and if barriers to access are addressed. As Clarke expressed, "Knowledge becomes healing. This survey shows that many people suffering from neuroplastic symptoms accept the possibility of a psychological cause. Many are open to trying neuroplastic recovery therapies. Our task now is to expand public awareness of and reduce barriers to access for these treatments."