Managing Pain

The other day, I received a message I wasn’t expecting at all—and it truly made my day.

In my day-to-day routine, it’s easy to lose sight of my purpose. But that message reminded me why I started sharing my story in the first place. It reignited something in me, and I felt inspired to write again about my experience living with lifelong pain. My hope, as always, is that it might help someone else feel seen, supported, or a little less alone.

Today, I want to talk about pain.

Pain is such a broad word. Everyone experiences it at some point, right? But what if I told you that for me—and for so many others—pain isn’t just an occasional visitor? It’s a constant companion. Every day. Every hour. Every second.

When I breathe, my ribcage hurts. My back gets stuck every so often. Sometimes, the pain goes down my leg, amplifying everything (and the list goes on....). 

It can be debilitating, unpredictable, and exhausting.

It feels a little strange to share something so personal, but if you’re living with Axial SpA or any other chronic condition, I want you to know this:

You are not alone.

Even though it can feel isolating—like no one could possibly understand what you're going through—there’s a community out there. There are people walking this path with you. There are online resources, support groups, and medical professionals ready to help.

In this post, I’ll be sharing a few things that have helped me manage my pain. I hope they might bring you some relief or, at the very least, a sense of connection.

Better days will come. Hang in there.