500,000 suffer long-term pain, says study

Around 500,000 Irish people suffer from long-term physical pain, according to an EU-wide research project.

The study said a quarter of all Irish households are affected by chronic pain, with one-in-six sufferers losing their jobs because of the condition.

It also said that around 20% of chronic pain sufferers in Ireland contemplated committing suicide.

Responding to the research, the Irish Pain Society said long-term pain was a major public health issue and should be dealt with accordingly.