Living with What You Can’t See

After more than three decades of practicing medicine, I can tell you that one of the most misunderstood and overlooked conditions I see in my patients is chronic pain. It doesn’t show up in a blood test. You can’t see it on someone’s face all the time. There’s no cast or scar to signal something’s wrong. And yet, for millions of people, chronic pain is an everyday reality that deeply impacts their lives—physically, emotionally, and spiritually.

As a physician, I’ve met countless individuals who’ve carried their pain for years, sometimes decades, often in silence. They’ve seen specialist after specialist, tried medication after medication, and still feel no relief—not just from the physical discomfort, but from the burden of being misunderstood. Family, friends, coworkers, even other doctors sometimes assume that if you “look fine,” you must be fine. This couldn’t be further from the truth.

Pain Doesn’t Need Permission

Chronic pain doesn’t always come with a clear cause. It doesn’t wait for a diagnosis to settle in, and it certainly doesn’t ask for permission to turn someone’s life upside down. People often imagine pain as something linked to trauma—an injury, surgery, or illness. But what happens when pain lingers long after healing should have occurred? Or when no injury ever occurred at all?

That’s the reality for people dealing with conditions like fibromyalgia, complex regional pain syndrome, nerve damage, or long-term back pain. These aren’t made-up issues or exaggerations. These are real medical conditions with very real consequences. They affect the nervous system, immune system, and even brain function. And the worst part? Because they’re invisible, people living with chronic pain are often treated with skepticism or suspicion instead of compassion and care.

The Emotional Toll

It’s impossible to separate chronic pain from its emotional and psychological effects. When you live in constant discomfort, your body is always on high alert. This drains your energy, affects your sleep, and can eventually lead to anxiety, depression, and isolation. I’ve seen patients who once lived full, active lives reduced to shadows of themselves. They stop doing the things they love. Relationships suffer. Careers are put on hold or lost completely. The emotional cost is just as heavy as the physical one.

I often tell my patients that it’s okay to feel overwhelmed. Chronic pain doesn’t just hurt the body—it wears down the soul. That’s why a big part of my approach to treatment focuses on understanding the full experience of pain, not just its symptoms. You cannot treat pain effectively without treating the person behind it.

The Medical System’s Blind Spots

Unfortunately, our healthcare system hasn’t always been kind to those in pain. For years, the focus was largely on treating pain with medications—particularly opioids. While these drugs have their place in acute settings, they were never meant to be a long-term solution. The result has been devastating: a national opioid crisis that grew out of good intentions but poor strategy.

On the flip side, this crisis has made it harder for legitimate chronic pain patients to receive proper care. I’ve spoken with individuals who are treated like drug seekers simply because they’re asking for relief. That kind of stigma is harmful. It discourages people from seeking help and punishes them for trying to manage a very real condition.

We need a new path—one that balances responsible prescribing with innovative, effective alternatives. As a physician who specializes in interventional pain management, I use techniques that range from nerve blocks and spinal injections to neuromodulation therapies that target pain at the source. These options can offer long-term relief without the risks associated with traditional medications. But beyond procedures, patients also need emotional support, physical therapy, and often counseling. Pain care should be comprehensive, not piecemeal.

Listening as Treatment

If there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s that listening is sometimes the most powerful treatment we can offer. Too often, people in pain are dismissed or minimized. But when we stop and truly hear their story, when we believe them, we begin to restore something that’s often been lost in their journey—hope.

Every patient I treat teaches me something new. They remind me that pain is not just a physical sensation—it’s a human experience. And behind every case is a person doing their best to keep going, even when every step hurts.

A Call for Compassion

I’ve made it my mission to help people who are suffering. Not just with injections or procedures, but with kindness, patience, and presence. Chronic pain may be silent, but that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t speak up about it. As a society, we need to shift the way we see and talk about pain. We need to educate ourselves, support those who are struggling, and invest in treatments that go beyond the surface.

To anyone living with chronic pain: I see you. I believe you. Your pain is real, and you deserve to be heard, treated, and respected. Healing doesn’t always mean being pain-free—but it can mean regaining control, finding support, and discovering new ways to live fully, even in the presence of pain.

You’re not alone. And you never have to be.