Pain is an integral part of our existence.
Think of the coarse gravel that scrapes your knees when you fall on asphalt; the accidental paper cut; the headache after a night of drink. Discomfort tells us when damage occurs, or informs us of urges, like hunger and thirst. It is a primordial part of us.
But when the way our bodies perceive damage goes wrong, it can be unbearable, silent, and lonely.
Nearly 9 percent of all Singaporeans suffer from chronic pain according to a 2009 study; the number rises to one in five if you only consider those aged 60 and above. And 95 percent of 500 Singaporeans surveyed for the 2017 GSK Global Pain Index say they have suffered from body pain.
Below, you'll find a series of stories that will discuss different aspects of chronic pain — about the things that loom in the background of chronic pain sufferers, and the impact pain has had on their lives.
Why has something so common been so misunderstood?
Pain in Singapore
Nearly one in ten Singaporeans suffer from chronic pain.
What causes chronic pain, how do people treat them, and why has support for the condition been scarce?
Diagnosing pain
Our knowledge of pain is increasingly complex. We look at mainstream medical attitudes, and how biology and psychology fit into the science of chronic pain
Working with sufferers
An overstrained support system and a lack of government directives mean hard work for those trying to alleviate chronic pain
Mind your body
Pain is almost always an emotional experience. Here’s how pain erodes people’s psyche - and how psychology can help
Labour pains
For the individual, pain’s economic impact is direct. Here’s how workplace culture can help make or break a person’s chronic pain
Invisible suffering
Why is pain such a hard topic to talk about?
3 ways you can support someone in pain emotionally
Chronic pain can often be hard to empathise with. Here are three ways you can make someone feel understood
Killing painkillers
We have a complex relationship with painkillers. The opioid crisis in the West — and our response to it — is changing that
An alternative route
An increasing demand for alternative pain relief is highlighting an integration between mainstream medicine and alternative therapy
Compassion, the way forward
To make the lives of sufferers easier, why not try empathising?