BLOG 1: MY STORY WITH CHRONIC PAIN & FINDING A WAY FORWARD

Blog
Written By Rachel Kirkbride

Why I’m here

This wasn’t where I thought I’d be right now

If you’d told me a decade ago that I’d be creating wellbeing content for social media, had trained as a Pilates Instructor, taught Reformer Pilates at several studios and was writing a Blog and planning a Podcast about chronic pain - I’d have asked: OK…um, why? And what’s a bloody Podcast…or a Reformer, for that matter?!

Probably followed by a few “What the F*cks?!”

Partly because I assumed I’d still be practising as a Family Solicitor - the career I trained for (six years plus), worked in for almost ten, and funded myself to the max with undergraduate and postgraduate loans, countless part-time jobs, and badly paid paralegal work, just to get onto the courses and secure a training contract. And partly because I never pictured myself doing something so personal… or so public.

 

Starting before I felt ready

My social-media résumé? A relatively inactive Facebook account that’s more a twice yearly family photo archive (and Marketplace sales). My 14-year-old twin daughters think I’m ancient because a) I have Facebook, and b) I still write texts with one hand!

High-street Family Law systems weren’t exactly cutting-edge either, so let’s just say I haven’t grown up especially tech-savvy.

So yes, stepping into this space is new. Five Instagram posts and no Reels when I launched a couple of days ago, and zero Blog or Podcasting experience.

But that’s the point.

I’m not here because I’ve perfected the format - far from it!
 I’m here because the message feels too important to wait until everything’s just right.

 

The story behind everything I’m sharing here

What I’m about to share: chronic pain, my experience with Fibromyalgia, the brain-body science behind it - and in later series, other invisible conditions like Pelvic Congestion Syndrome and Endometriosis (which led to my hysterectomy at 42) - they’re the backbone of why I’m doing this at all.

It’s the story that changed everything for me.
 And I believe it will sound painfully familiar to more people than we realise.

About fifty percent of this feels uncomfortable.
It’s exposing. It’s personal. It’s talking about things that are easier to leave unsaid.

But I’m doing it anyway because this series, and everything I’m sharing on Instagram, is the culmination of what I’ve lived and learned while trying to help myself.

If it helps even a few others, every awkward moment is worth it.

I’m approaching it with honesty, humour, and practicality. Chronic pain has changed my life, and it’s also taught me more than anything else.

I want to pass that on. To my kids, and to anyone who needs it.

 

The scale of the problem

Chronic pain is far more common than we think

It’s such a shame, but paradoxically, most of us don’t fully understand a condition until we, or someone we love, experience it firsthand. By then, we’re already playing catch-up.

And chances are, at some point, you or someone close to you will experience a form of chronic pain, because it’s that common. Research suggests it affects around 1 in 5 adults globally.

And here in the UK, the numbers are even more striking. According to the British Pain Society’s 2024 report, chronic pain affects around 43% of adults - just under 28 million people.

 

From early observations to modern neuroscience

Pioneers in chronic pain and the mind-body connection; such as Dr John Sarno, Dr Howard Schubiner, Nicole Sachs and Dr Gabor Maté, have been studying, writing, and teaching about this relationship for over four decades.

Over the past forty years, and especially in the last decade, doctors and neuroscientists have begun to understand chronic pain in a completely new way. What started as a mind-body theory is now backed by modern imaging and neuroscience. 

And yet, despite how common chronic pain is, it’s still widely misunderstood.

In recent years, the rise of podcasts, social media, and the global conversation around mental and physical wellbeing has brought this field closer to mainstream awareness.

But still not nearly enough. Not for the scale of the issue, or the millions living with pain every day. 

 

Why these conversations matter

Books, talks and podcasts from these experts have been life-changing for me. But I understand that it takes time, energy and headspace to read them, especially when you’re in survival mode.

That’s why these conversations matter. Among everyday people and the medical professionals that help treat chronic pain - in homes, in workplaces, communities and schools for example; to break the information down into simple, digestible pieces, to bridge that gap.

If afterwards you want to dive into the books or the research, that’s amazing! 

But if not, I hope it still gives you a few ideas, a bit of comfort, and maybe a starting point to help yourself.

I really believe both awareness and conversation is comforting, and they’re where real change begins. It could help towards shifting how we manage pain, how we medicate, how early we intervene, and how we teach the next generation to care for both mind and body - to prevent or reduce the impact on their nervous system, later in life.

So let’s start talking…

 

Next Time…

BLOG 2: THE BEGINNING - WHEN PAIN ENTERED MY LIFE

I’ll take you back to where this story really begins. The months after my son was born, when pain crept in quietly, spread everywhere, and changed my relationship with my body, my identity, and my life, in ways I couldn’t yet name.

 

Gentle Reminder : I am not a medical expert. Everything I share here and on Instagram is based on my lived experience and the practices that have helped me personally - drawing on research and literature from those who are experts. The content is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always check with your doctor or a qualified specialist, if you are unsure about symptoms or regarding any medical condition and prior to starting any exercise regime.

References and further reading

 

Join the wider conversation

This post is part of an ongoing series exploring Chronic Pain and the mind-body connection.
If you’d like to see the accompanying Chronic Pain Instagram reels, or related content across Pilates and Movement, Mind and Body Wellbeing, Calming Interiors or Feel-Good Fashion - or if you’d like to leave a comment:

You can find it over on Instagram @rachel_kirkbride

 

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