We just updated our fact sheet on chronic pain and complementary health approaches to include new scientific evidence.

Chronic pain (pain that lasts for a long time) is a very common problem. National survey data from 2019 showed that about 20 percent of U.S. adults had chronic pain. It is more common in older people than younger ones and in those from rural areas compared to those from urban areas. Military veterans are another group at increased risk for chronic pain.

The scientific evidence suggests that some complementary health approaches, such as acupuncture, hypnosis, massage, mindfulness meditation, music-based interventions, spinal manipulation, tai chi, qigong, and yoga, may help people manage chronic pain.