I have been in a terrible chronic pain flare this week. I’ve had neuropathic pain for 8 years now and over that time, as my pain has worsened gradually, my pain threshold has kept increasing. What I now consider a ‘better day’ would have been a bad flare up day a few years ago. No matter how high that threshold gets there’s always a limit to how much pain a person can manage. When it gets this bad, the pain completely takes over and there isn’t much I can do to bring it down to a manageable level again. No medications come close to touching it, it’s a waiting game. I just have to focus on rest, coping, staying calm and getting through each hour of every day at a time. Little things like trying to distract yourself by watching your favourite TV programme, meditation, taking to a friend/loved one and hot water bottles can make it a tiny bit more bearable.
Flare up pain is the sort of pain that most ‘normal’ people who don’t experience pain every day, would go to A&E in screaming thinking there was something drastically wrong with them. I feel like I want to cry and scream when it’s like this but I know that that isn’t going to help and the stress will only exacerbate it. I really cannot describe how bad it feels so I often scroll the internet trying to find images I can perhaps use to best express how I’m feeling. I wrote a post about how powerful art can be to communicate chronic pain here if you’d like to read more about it. I recently came across PainExhibit.org; an online art exhibit from artists with chronic pain who use art to express their pain experience. I chose a small selection of pieces to share with you that really struck me – those I can currently relate to whilst in the midst of a flare. I hope to one day do some art myself when I am up to it to show my unique experience.
My Pain by Janet Voss
“My pain began almost six years back as a spot in my lower back. It has now spread down the entire lower right half of my body. Where I used to walk with no problem, I may now need to use a scooter as it has become quite painful to walk. No clear diagnosis has ever been given and I’ve been through numerous injections, procedures, tests, two back surgeries and have had a spinal cord stimulator put in and later taken out. There has been no relief except at night when I lay down – then the pain completely subsides. It remains a mystery to the doctors I’ve encountered and I now know I’ll just have to live with it. It has completely changed me and my life and I continue now as a different person than I was seven years ago. Pain has that effect – for better or for worse.” Janet Voss.
CP II by Mark Collen
“The sculpture represents suffering from chronic pain.” Mark Collen.
Today’s Forecast by Cynthia Yolland
Self-managing pain by Susanne Main

Hi Sophie,
I just found your website blog post and this explanation of what a pain flare feels like is spot on. I have lived with chronic pain for over 8 years now and have been using my art to describe my pain and the lived pain experience for some time now. I wrote and published my website about Complex Regional Pain Syndrome @ 4 years ago, you might be interested in the section called Art About Pain – http://www.crps247.com/art-about-pain.html I look forward to reading your other posts and following the links in various replies etc.
Hi Rosemary!
I have just had a look at your page and I love how you’ve used art to express your thoughts and emotions. It sounds like you’ve had quite the journey of the years, but I was happy to read you’ve made some progress! I hope with all my heart that it continues for you <3 x
I’m glad you enjoyed the post, and that I managed to portray a flare up accurately. Sorry to hear about your struggles with pain
Thanks Sophie for making the time to check out my website and your good wishes. I hope things improve for you too, meanwhile keep writing, it resonates with a lot of people and your energy and positive attitude also shine through. xx