How Chronic Pain or Illness is Affected by Stress

When we know we might be physically injured, we try to protect our bodies from the impact of the trauma by tensing our muscles. We do the same in a stressful situation. But instead of protecting us, the tense muscles can cause more problems. Chronic Pain or Illness Can Be Worsened by Stress Stress can …

There is More to Chronic Pain Than Just Pain

Most people understand pain. Whether it's from an occasional headache, a broken leg or a stubbed toe, most people understand what pain feels like. But chronic pain? Not everyone will understand what that is like. When does pain become chronic? Chronic pain is defined by NHS Inform as pain that carries on for longer than …

What is Life Like with Chronic Pain?

If you read my distractions post, you'll know I'm keen on A - Zs, so I decided to make an A - Z to describe life with chronic pain. Counteracting Negatives with Positives Part way through, I realised that the A - Z was quite negative, and since I prefer a positive outlook I tried …

Ill Health Retirement After Years of Struggling to Work

Very often, people with ill health or disability struggle to work and have to face early retirement. It’s not a decision that anyone takes lightly. My Own Struggle I had to take early retirement through ill health 25 years ago, in 1994.I didn't want to take sick leave due to my pain, but at the …

Feeling Like A Failure Was One of My Failings

If someone is well off, has a fancy car and a five bedroomed house in a nice area, they're considered successful. If they have fulfilled their hopes and dreams, they're considered successful. Qualifications, careers, acquired wealth, sporting victories and acting awards can all measure a person's success. But when people live with chronic pain or …

How to support someone who has an invisible illness

Some illnesses are obvious to the naked eye. If someone is hobbling around with a plaster cast on their leg, we can tell they have a broken leg. If they have misshapen fingers, we can normally presume that they have painful arthritis.But so many people have health conditions which can’t be seen. Those conditions are …

Chronic Pain – How Can We Overcome the Burden of Guilt?

We struggle with pain. We struggle with the stress of living with pain. And sometimes, we struggle with all-consuming guilt, which can ultimately affect both our mental and physical health. Sometimes our guilt makes us believe we are a burden to our families. And very often there is only one person who is pointing the finger and making us feel guilty - ourselves.