Chronic Voices: Kate Straus
I'm using the disease that at one time knocked me down, to help support others…


Lifestyle encompasses the behavioral and habitual practices we engage in each and every day when living with chronic pain. We here at Mayv understand that chronic pain is often a treatable condition, but we also know that healing takes time. The good news is that we don’t have to wait until we’re all better to start improving our lifestyle; in fact, engaging in normal life as best as we can is actually an important part of the healing process!
Healing chronic pain or a chronic condition isn’t just about medicine. Chronic conditions influence every aspect of life — from employment and finances, to relationships, hobbies, and even how we design our homes. By working within our current limitations to do small things every day that provide us with a sense of joy or meaning, we start to feel that we’re living our best lives again—even in the presence of our pain—while helping our nervous systems feel safer in the process.
Are there any burning questions you’ve wanted to ask a doctor, therapist or fellow patients? Are your Google searches not giving you the answers you’re looking for — like how to wash your hair during a hand flare up, tips for parenting with chronic pain, or how to deal with chronic back pain in public? Let us know if there are special topics you’d like us to dig into and we’ll do the leg work to uncover research, interview experts and talk to other patients who are living with similar conditions.
I'm using the disease that at one time knocked me down, to help support others…
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