Does Chronic Pain Go Away, or is It Here to Stay?
I have never been asked by a healthy person if I’ve ever experienced a pain-free day, most likely because the idea is incomprehensible to them. Yet, if you have lived with chronic illness for some time, then you know the answer to the question, “does chronic pain go away?”.
The answer is a hard “no”.
*Disclaimer: This article is meant for educational purposes, and is based on my personal experiences as a patient. I am not a doctor, and nothing in this article should be substituted for medical advice. Please consult your own doctor before changing or adding any new treatment protocols. This post may also contain affiliate links. It will cost you nothing to click on them. I will get a small referral fee from purchases you make, which helps with the maintenance of this blog. Read our Privacy Policy page for more information. Thank you!
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What is It Like to Experience Pain on a Daily Basis?
The irony is that people who live with chronic pain have no idea themselves as to what the following day will be like, so they can’t quite tell you with precision. Just like anyone else, they may have a to-do list, jobs to complete, errands to run, and people to love, but a pain flare has a way of forcing everything else to be downgraded to a non-priority status.
The anticipation of pain can be even more exhausting than the experience of pain itself at times, because unpredictability messes with your psyche and physiology. You are constantly bracing yourself for a potential attack, and running scenarios in your head of how you'd react should a pain flare truly strike. Anyone who has suffered a massive flare-up of their chronic illness before is always left a little traumatised (Gasperi et al., 2021).
The Incomprehensibility & Dilution of “Chronic” in “Chronic Pain”
Most people have heard of the word ‘chronic’, and from what I understand, it’s a pretty common term in Gen-Z lingo as well. I actually first heard the term “chronically online” when I returned to school, and started hanging out with people half my age. In brief, the term refers to a person being so entrenched in social media or online culture, that it starts to affect their way of thinking and behaving. In that sense, I feel like the word “chronic” in “chronic pain” or “chronic illness” has become a little diluted. Not only is it associated with something bad, but it also implies an alterable predicament.
The Solidarity Found in the Chronic Pain Community
Whilst every person who lives with chronic illness experiences pain differently, we all know just how bad chronic pain can be. There is solidarity in that knowledge; I often speak with my chronically ill friends online who live with very different diseases than my own, yet we have empathy for one another because we are actually able to comprehend what it means to live with unbearable pain — the sort that is indescribable with words.
An Attempt to Illustrate What Chronic Pain is Like
Metaphors are a wonderful aid for imagination, which is quite necessary if you are a healthy person who’s trying to understand what chronic pain is like. Apart from metaphors, actual lived experiences and stories may strike a chord — which emphasises the importance of sharing your own experiences if you live with chronic pain. Every voice counts, and helps to paint a clearer picture.
In the roundup below, 11 chronically ill people share insights into the last pain-free day they had. Combined, I hope that they help to raise awareness on just how ‘chronic’ chronic pain truly is. Should you have more questions, feel free to ask openly in the comments section at the end of the post — I promise to answer as best as I can, as long as they are constructive (and others in the chronic illness community may chime in as well!).
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Does Chronic Pain Go Away? — 11 People Share Their Thoughts About Their Last Pain-free Day
1. Eric
Do You Remember When Your Last Pain-free Day was?
Beginning of December, 2021.
What Do You Remember About It?
I didn't think about pain.
Do You Think There was a Reason That You Had That Pain-Free Day?
Before my conditions started showing symptoms.
What's Your Baseline Level of Pain on a Daily Basis?
6.
2. Kate
Do You Remember When Your Last Pain-free Day was?
No.
What's Your Baseline Level of Pain on a Daily Basis?
I start the day at a 4, and I generally spend most of the day at a 6.
3. April Smith
Do You Remember When Your Last Pain-free Day was?
Not really, it was so long ago and they are so rare!
What Do You Remember About It?
I remember being happy to be able to do the simple things without pain for a change: walking my dog, showering, chores. I also remember feeling like I was waiting for the other shoe to drop - that the pain would come back any minute, so I felt like I couldn't really enjoy being pain-free.
Do You Think There was a Reason That You Had That Pain-Free Day?
I'm not sure of this exact day, so it's hard to say. But generally, my symptoms are affected by the weather and stress, so I'd say that these two things being low-impact that day probably helped me feel better.
What's Your Baseline Level of Pain on a Daily Basis?
Somewhere between a 2-4. This means that the pain may just seem like background noise, and I can ignore it sometimes, or it's more front-of-mind but I can still function mostly normally.
4. Rhiann
Do You Remember When Your Last Pain-free Day was?
This is such a thought-provoking question, for me I cannot remember when that would have even been. In one of my older blog posts, I wrote “Not being in pain seems so far removed from my reality that it feels like it only exists in fairy tales” and it’s true because every day for me pain is there. Some days are better than others but pain is always there.
What's Your Baseline Level of Pain on a Daily Basis?
I would say my pain is usually between 6 and 7. On my worst days it is around an 8. There have been days when it’s been a solid 10 and those are the days when I’m physically sick with the pain.
5. seeking serenity and harmony
Do You Remember When Your Last Pain-free Day was?
No.
What Do You Remember About It?
Can't remember when the last pain free day was.
Do You Think There was a Reason That You Had That Pain-Free Day?
If there was a day it would be a combo of meds/weather and balance of activity (not using more spoons than I have).
What's Your Baseline Level of Pain on a Daily Basis?
4.
6. mohikan22
Do You Remember When Your Last Pain-free Day was?
To be honest I don't. I remember I had one that's about it.
What Do You Remember About It?
I remember being able to walk around with the grandchildren and take a photoshoot that day.
Do You Think There was a Reason That You Had That Pain-Free Day?
Nothing had changed medication wise, possibly the weather as it was a calm average day. Not hot, not cold, not raining.
What's Your Baseline Level of Pain on a Daily Basis?
7/10.
7. Beverley Butterfly
Do You Remember When Your Last Pain-free Day was?
Not pain free but I have had days where it is a lot less or almost nothing.
What Do You Remember About It?
That I could walk without my aid much easier, and I could think clearer.
Do You Think There was a Reason That You Had That Pain-Free Day?
It was a warm, not hot, and dry day.
What's Your Baseline Level of Pain on a Daily Basis?
Daily out of ten, I am usually around a three or four.
8. mtm
Do You Remember When Your Last Pain-free Day was?
2 months ago.
What Do You Remember About It?
I was confused, then relieved, then concerned, and cycled through that for the rest of the day. Nothing was different, my meds hadn't changed, and my activity level is consistent every day, so it was very, very bizarre. I remember sleeping better than I had in years that day.
Do You Think There was a Reason That You Had That Pain-Free Day?
No idea why.
What's Your Baseline Level of Pain on a Daily Basis?
On the 10 scale, it starts at a 5/6 and goes up from there. Usually sits at a high 7 by the time I get home from work. If I've been traveling it sits at a high 7 most of the day.
9. LaffingKat
Do You Remember When Your Last Pain-free Day was?
No.
What Do You Remember About It?
Nothing. Since I have had chronic pain for decades, I don't remember what it was like to be pain-free, although I know I had more energy and more freedom in what I could do.
What's Your Baseline Level of Pain on a Daily Basis?
Usually a 3 or 4 out of 10 on a good day.
10. MrsBot
Do You Remember When Your Last Pain-free Day was?
Jan 2023 (before diagnosis).
What Do You Remember About It?
I was able to do a Peloton workout and activities with my kids easily.
Do You Think There was a Reason That You Had That Pain-Free Day?
It was the day before I woke up with severe joint swelling and pain.
What's Your Baseline Level of Pain on a Daily Basis?
5 (now that I've found a biologic that helps).
11. Sheryl Chan
Do You Remember When Your Last Pain-free Day was?
Yes; I think I remember quite precisely, because it was an anomaly. I was staying in Berlin for 3 months with my ex, back in the beginning of 2020.
What Do You Remember About It?
We actually had had a night out at his friend’s place, playing board games, and having home made pies and wine (it was also where I tested the Pure Wine wands!). So, I had expected to pay for that in terms of a pain flare the following day. Instead, I had a pain-free day, which was most quizzical because not only did that not happen, but my daily pain levels even got negated.
Do You Think There was a Reason That You Had That Pain-Free Day?
Perhaps a combination of laughter, feel-good hormones, and the cold winter air which was rare for me to experience. If there was a cause, I don’t think it was one, but multiple contributors.
What's Your Baseline Level of Pain on a Daily Basis?
It swings quite wildly for me — from two to seven. More than chronic pain itself, there is chronic fatigue and brain fog to contend with, which I actually find worse than the pain itself, as there’s nothing you can do about those except to let time do its thing.
In Conclusion — A Pain-free Day is Quite Abstract to Those with Chronic Illness
As you can see, many of the participants in this mini survey do not remember what it’s like to live with zero pain. It’s an incomprehensible concept in our world. There is at least one tiny body part that’s hurting at the bare minimum. Weather seems to play a huge role as well, no matter what the research says (or has yet to discover).
Our Lives are Still Worth Something, Even if Chronic Pain Never Goes Away
Whilst there were only 11 participants in this mini survey, I am fairly confident that if you approach anyone with a chronic illness and asked them, “does chronic pain go away?”, their answer would be a “no”.
Having said that, life with chronic illness isn’t all doom and gloom — believe it or not, there are still pockets of joy to be found within the pain and suffering. These moments may not be long-lasting, but they are certainly etched into our memories more deeply.
Some Encouragement if You're Suffering Today
If you’re having a particularly bad day, here are seven reminders to keep you going. Some days I choose to let it all go and just sit through the depression and emotions. On other days I choose to keep going on autopilot like a zombie, just because I can still do so. Yet on other days, I choose to fight back and make a mark on my life.
I believe that context, circumstances, and the resources we have on hand — be they physical, mental, emotional, moral, spiritual, or something else — fluctuates on a daily basis, just like chronic pain. And that adaptation is the best way to not only survive, but to make some meaning out of life with chronic illness.
Here’s wishing you a good day (or one that will come soon!). I am personally recovering from a minor surgery at present, so for me, I’ll just sit with that for a bit until the pain dials back down again 🙂
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- Gasperi, M., Afari, N., Goldberg, J., Suri, P., & Panizzon, M. S. (2021). Pain and Trauma: The Role of Criterion A Trauma and Stressful Life Events in the Pain and PTSD Relationship. The Journal of Pain, 22(11), 1506–1517. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpain.2021.04.015
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