Chronic Pain

Inspiring stories about people persevering despite living in invisible pain.

We Need to Stop Normalizing Period Pain

Doctors and health practitioners agree: there's nothing 'normal' about extreme period pain. So why do so many millions of women take it for granted?
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Lessons From A Roller Derby Fall

An accident left me with chronic pain, and a better understanding of how to forgive myself.

How A Career Change Cured My Chronic Pain

When my back pain got me fired from my old job, I had to become a school crossing guard to make ends meet.
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When Someone Says They Are Disabled, Believe Them

Whether Jameela Jamil or a person sitting in a handicapped seat on a bus, we all have a duty to believe the experiences of others.

Virtuoso Of The Serrated Blade

After a dance career was ended in a car accident, Natalia “Saw Lady” Paruz threw her passion into an unconventional instrument.
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Unearthly Pursuits

Inspired by her own chronic pain, Kansas City artist Courtney Lane takes the locks of fellow spoonies and uses it to make incredibly intricate works of Victorian hair art.
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How Professional Artists Deal With Chronic Conditions

Perhaps even more than in other professions, artists need compassion, community, and self-care to navigate the complexities of chronic illness.
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What Coming Out As Disabled To My Employers Has Taught Me

Afraid of being seen as incapable, I used to hide my ankylosing spondylitis from employers. But then I realized keeping my disability a secret was only cheating myself.

The Women Entrepreneurs Fighting Chronic Sex Pain

Sex is meant to be pleasurable, but for millions of women, it's painful. Here are three entrepreneurs trying to turn that around.