Safe and Sound with CCOHS Supporting Workers with Chronic Pain
Feb 13, 2026
Dr. Andrea Furlan, physician-scientist and professor at the University of Toronto who researches chronic pain, speaks about chronic pain biology and how it differs from acute pain. She tackles stigma and common misunderstandings. She discusses work impacts, practical supports employers can offer, self-advocacy strategies, mental health’s role, and pointers to her YouTube and books.
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Chronic Pain Is A Central Nervous System Disease
- Chronic pain is different from acute pain and often reflects changes in the central nervous system instead of ongoing tissue damage.
- Andrea Furlan compares chronic pain to a broken alarm that keeps sounding after the fire is gone.
Stigma Skews How Pain Is Perceived
- People with chronic pain often face stigma and assumptions like addiction or weakness when using treatments such as opioids.
- Furlan highlights that such misconceptions occur in workplaces and healthcare alike.
Work Gives Patients Identity And Purpose
- Many patients tell Andrea Furlan they want to work because their job is their identity and purpose.
- She reports they experience insomnia, fatigue, and 'brain fog' that impair concentration and job performance.