Los Angeles Chronic Pain
Support and advocacy information for individuals dealing with chronic pain.
Author: paintom
-
Standing Together for Chronic Pain Awareness Month
Every September we set aside time to highlight Chronic Pain Awareness Month. For those of us living with pain, it’s not just a campaign or a slogan—it’s our daily reality. This month is a reminder to speak up, stand together, and let the world know that chronic pain is real, it matters, and it cannot…
-
Caring for the Caregiver: Self-Care Isn’t Selfish
When we talk about caregiving, the focus is almost always on the person receiving care—their needs, their comfort, their well-being. That’s as it should be. But too often, what gets left out of the conversation is the caregiver’s health and resilience. I live every day with chronic pain. I know what it’s like to need…
-
Filling the Cup: Why Self-Care Matters for Patient Advocates
Being a patient advocate is some of the most meaningful work I’ve ever done. It gives purpose, it connects me to others, and it helps turn pain into something that can help someone else. But here’s the truth: advocacy can also be exhausting. We carry not only our own stories, but the stories of everyone…
-
What Works for Me: Managing Life with Chronic Pain
Living with chronic pain for over 37 years has taught me more than I ever thought I’d need to know about perseverance, adaptation, and self-discovery. Pain has shaped my days, my decisions, my relationships—and yet, it doesn’t define who I am. What defines me is how I’ve responded. This isn’t a guidebook or a prescription.…
-
Getting Ready to Go:
What Works for Me While Traveling With Chronic Pain Travel and chronic pain don’t exactly make the best travel buddies. But over the years, I’ve figured out a few things that help make the process smoother, more manageable, and sometimes even enjoyable. I’m not saying it’s easy. But I’ve learned how to plan, stay flexible,…
-
How to Read a Clinical Trial Results Report:
A PWLE’s Guide to Asking the Right Questions Reading the results of a clinical trial shouldn’t feel like cracking a code. But too often, it does—especially for those of us living with the conditions being studied. If you’ve ever opened one of those reports and felt like you needed a translator, you’re not alone. I’ve…
-
What Really Works for Neuropathic Pain?
A Patient-Friendly Look at the Latest Evidence “Just give me something that works—and doesn’t make me feel worse.”That’s the quiet hope so many of us carry into every doctor visit. If you live with neuropathic pain like I do, you know the drill: try a new prescription, wait it out, cope with side effects, maybe…
-
Centering the Person in Pain: Improving the CIPM Toolbox and Integrating MyPainPlan
I recently had the honor of presenting at the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine on one of the most essential tools I’ve used as a patient advocate and educator: the Comprehensive Integrative Pain Management (CIPM) Toolbox diagram. The audience was members of the Social Security Administration. With permission to use the model, I…
-
What Counts as “Meaningful” Patient Engagement in Clinical Trials? A Global Glimpse at How It’s Measured
There was a time—and not that long ago—when patients were nothing more than subjects in medical research. Data points. Test cases. They were studied, but rarely asked what they thought. Now, that script is changing. Around the world, people with lived experience (PWLE) are being invited into research not just as participants, but as true…
-
Remote CBT Programs Can Help Manage Chronic Pain — And Here’s the Proof – A Patient-Friendly Summary
On average, it takes approximately 17 years for clinical trial results to be adopted into routine practice. That’s not just a statistic, a warning. This number originates from health policy research that has been reviewed and confirmed across multiple studies. One of the most cited estimates comes from Dr. Eugene Balas and colleagues, who found…
-
Showing Up is Enough: Motivation, Compassion, and Support in Chronic Pain Groups
Some days, brushing your teeth feels like a victory. When you live with chronic pain, even the smallest actions can take enormous effort. That’s why motivation doesn’t always look like progress, it often looks like perseverance. It’s no surprise that motivation can come and go like the tide, especially in a chronic pain support group.…
-
An Open Letter to Congress: Protect Pain Research, Protect People
Dear Members of Congress, I would like you to maintain and expand federal investment in chronic pain research, include a dedicated earmark for the NIH HEAL Initiative in FY2026, and protect the research already reducing suffering and saving lives. Chronic pain is the leading cause of long-term disability in the U.S. It affects over 51…
-
Making the Most of Each Day While Living with Chronic Pain
When you live with chronic pain, it’s easy to feel like the days blend together into a blur of discomfort, frustration, and limitations. The idea of “making the most” of a day might sound like a far-off dream, or a demand that doesn’t match the reality of how hard just getting out of bed can…
-
Why Feeling “Better” Can Get Us Into Trouble
Have you ever had a day where you suddenly felt a little better than usual? Maybe the stiffness wasn’t as bad, the throbbing dulled just enough, or you had a rare moment of energy. And what did you do? You caught up. You cleaned. You shopped. You cooked, organized, lifted, reached, sorted. You made plans.…
-
What Do You Do When No Doctor Will Help You?
A Hard Truth for People Living with Chronic Pain What do you do when you’ve tried everything—and no doctor in your area will help you? You’re not alone. I hear this question almost every day from people living with chronic pain. I’ve lived with pain for nearly four decades. I’ve walked out of offices feeling…