I Suffer From The Most Painful Condition Known To Medicine - And My Life Is A Nightmare

Key Points:

• Alex Hankin Hart shares her two-decade struggle with complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS), a severe, chronic pain condition triggered by an injury but causing widespread, debilitating pain and sensitivity beyond the original injury site.
• CRPS causes intense, constant pain, swelling, and skin discoloration, severely limiting daily activities and quality of life; Hart describes multiple failed treatments, including medications, surgeries, and therapies, with only temporary remissions from spinal cord stimulators and ketamine infusions.
• The condition is poorly understood by the medical community, with no known cure and limited effective treatments, compounded by stigma and difficulty accessing pain medications amid the opioid crisis, leading to isolation and mental health challenges for patients.
• Hart emphasizes the need for improved medical education on chronic pain, expanded access to treatments like ketamine infusions and Calmare biofeedback, legalization of medical cannabis nationwide, and research into non-addictive painkillers covered by insurance.
• Despite the hardships, Hart is engaged in an intensive outpatient program combining medical and psychological therapies, finding support among others with chronic pain, and focusing on acceptance and living as fully as possible with CRPS.