Arthritis sufferers seek alternatives to painkillers as they struggle to cope

Nearly 4 million people in Britain suffering with arthritis are unnecessarily living with pain because they avoid taking medication or simply haven’t found medication that works.

This was one of the key findings in our recent study that asked 1,000 arthritis sufferers about their condition.

The survey also illustrated that 12% of arthritis sufferers are avoiding painkillers due to fear of side effects or addiction, and nearly half say they try to avoid taking over-the-counter pain relief. Over a quarter (27%) say they’ve not yet found a medication that works for them. You can read the full results and other key findings of our Arthritis Study 2020 here.

The facts from our survey were released to the national media in the UK. Some of our customers kindly told their own stories to interested journalists and were included in the resulting coverage. 

They did an excellent job, as the combination of their experiences and our results has helped us to raise awareness about the issues surrounding arthritis. Fifteen articles were published, including three in the national press. 

We have known for a long time that arthritis can severely affect a person’s quality of life but we were still surprised with the survey results showing the high number of people who are coping with pain in silence. 

Every day our award-winning Customer Care team talks to people who are living with severe discomfort, many of whom have been doing so for years. It’s so rewarding for us when we hear back from them about the progress they have made, after finding a treatment that works for them.