Los Angeles Chronic Pain
Support and advocacy information for individuals dealing with chronic pain.
Category: Uncategorized
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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…
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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…
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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.…
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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…
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When the World Feels Too Heavy: Managing Political Stress While Living with Chronic Pain
Since the election, I’ve noticed I’ve been more stressed, irritable, and short-tempered. The news cycle is nonstop, and the language is harsh. The direction we seem to be headed as a country leaves me worried, not just politically but physically. The stress isn’t abstract lands in my body. I feel it in the tension that…
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Compassion, Pain, and the Rights We All Share
Living with chronic pain teaches you things you never asked to learn. It forces you to see the world through a lens most people never even think about—where a trip to the grocery store can feel like climbing a mountain, and a restless night isn’t a one-off but a way of life. But through that…
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Opioids & Chronic Pain: From Caution to Compassion
For millions of Americans living with chronic pain, opioids have long been a double-edged sword—relief for some, devastation for others. Over the past decade, the U.S. has rewritten the framework around opioid prescribing for non-cancer pain, carefully balancing relief with safety. This article explores how federal guidance—from the CDC’s 2016 and 2022 guidelines to the…
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Rewiring the Pain Response: What Pavlov Can Teach Us About Living with Chronic Pain
With gratitude to Dr. Peter Ubel and Forbes for highlighting the research of neuroscientist Susanne Becker Source: “A Better Way Of Managing Chronic Pain—Courtesy Of Pavlov” (Forbes, June 10, 2025) Full article: https://www.forbes.com/sites/peterubel/2025/06/10/a-better-way-of-managing-chronic-paincourtesy-of-pavlov/ For those of us living with chronic pain, the idea that we can train our brain to experience pain differently may sound…
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Pacing Is a Lifelong Skill — Not a Quick Fix
Living with chronic pain has taught me many things — often the hard way. One of the most important lessons? Pacing. It sounds simple. But learning to pace yourself — to recognize your limits and honor them — is one of the most challenging and valuable skills you can develop when living with chronic pain.…
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When the Doctor Shuts Down
Disclaimer: The views, positions, and recommendations expressed in this article are based on my personal experiences and independent research. They are solely my own and do not necessarily reflect the views, policies, or positions of the American Chronic Pain Association (ACPA). I’ve lived with chronic pain for 37 years. It’s not just one kind of…
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Spoon Theory: A Simple Way to Explain a Complicated Life
What Is Spoon Theory? If you’ve lived with chronic pain, fatigue, or any invisible illness, chances are you’ve struggled to explain what daily life really feels like to someone who doesn’t live it. That’s where the Spoon Theory comes in. Created by Christine Miserandino, a lupus patient and advocate, Spoon Theory is a metaphor for…
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The Pain You Can’t See: Living with Invisible Chronic Pain
Introduction Living with chronic pain is hard. Living with invisible chronic pain—pain that can’t be seen, scanned, or measured—adds a whole new layer of challenge. For millions of us, the daily battle isn’t just with our symptoms but with disbelief, misunderstanding, and isolation. I’ve lived with chronic pain for decades. On the outside, I may…
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Celebrating the Small Wins: Why Little Steps Matter in Life with Chronic Pain
Disclaimer: The views, positions, and recommendations expressed in this article are based on my personal experiences and independent research. They are solely my own and do not necessarily reflect the views, policies, or positions of the American Chronic Pain Association (ACPA). Some Days, Just Getting Out of Bed Is a Victory If you live with…
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Handling Brain Fog and Actually Getting Things Done While Living with Chronic Pain
Disclaimer: The views, positions, and recommendations expressed in this article are based on my personal experiences and independent research. They are solely my own and do not necessarily reflect the views, policies, or positions of the American Chronic Pain Association (ACPA). If you live with chronic pain, you likely know what brain fog feels like.That…
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How Do You Handle a Flare-up?
Survival strategies, hard-earned wisdom, and what we wish others knew. There’s nothing quite like a flare-up.It can slam into your day like a thunderclap—or build quietly until the pain, fatigue, and fog are too heavy to carry. Whether you’ve lived with chronic pain for months or decades, one thing becomes clear: no two flare-ups are…