The “tip of the iceberg” is an analogy I've used many times. Pain is much like the underbelly of an iceberg, with the most impressive and sizeable mass invisible below the surface.

Our new BC ECHO for Chronic Pain will be led by Dr. Najam Mian, a physiatrist and pain medicine specialist. Naj has a breadth of experience in pain management, from completing a 5-year residency in physiatry, to becoming the first trainee to complete the new Pain Medicine Residency at the University of Toronto.

Health Canada announced today that Pain BC Executive Director, Maria Hudspith, has been appointed to co-chair the newly created Canadian Pain Task Force along with Dr. Fiona Campbell, President of the Canadian Pain Society and Anesthesiologist at the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto.

Claire Snyman was diagnosed with a non-cancerous brain tumour in 2010 after a sudden onset of vertigo, headaches and dizziness and quickly found herself navigating the complexities of the health care system.

Pain at the time of injury is called acute pain and is normal. It’s your body’s warning system alerting you to harm or danger. 

Once upon a time I was healthy and so happy. Then a Thai elephant named Alan, an unnamed mosquito and I spent quality time together in a jungle and wham bam ma’am: I have malaria, amebic dysentery, parasites and endless migraines. 

Pain is not something I asked for; it appeared out of nowhere and refuses to go away. I developed chronic pain in 2009 after a shoulder injury that required surgery. However, instead of relief, I was left with constant pain. My burning back felt as it was stuck in a vice grip that was getting tighter.

My name is Joelle and I live in Penticton, BC. I was diagnosed with Chronic Intractable Cluster Headaches 15 years ago. After a very long period of time visiting doctors, incessant testing, accusations and a generally very difficult period in my life I met the man, a doctor, who I believed to be my saviour.

What is it like to live with chronic pain? It’s a progression that shakes your world right down to the very foundations of who you are. Living with chronic pain is a life-altering event, right up there with marriage and divorce, the birth of your first child, and the passing of your parents.

I’m 54 years old and a grandmother. My pain started due to the wear and tear of my life, but got much worse once I finished menopause. I was previously diagnosed with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), but during the last and final cycle I had at least 6 cysts burst in my ovaries and ended up in the hospital.

I am 58 years old and have suffered from chronic pain for more than 35 years. My pain started with sciatica and progressed to full body and joint pain after being rear-ended.

People often ask me if my tattoos hurt, they can see those. That's a pain that goes away, I welcome that pain for the beauty in the end. What you can't see inside me is the chronic unrelenting pain and fatigue I experience on a daily basis. You can’t tell that inside me is a disease that is stigmatized, that it doesn't only affect the elderly or that it can be severe.

About National Pain Awareness Week

Chronic pain impacts the lives of 1 in 5 Canadians. During National Pain Awareness Week (NPAW), pain organizations host various events and activities to raise awareness and understanding of the impacts of chronic pain in Canada.

"The UBC Pain Medicine Residency Program has met many key milestones since its development starting in November 2011. In 2018, the program achieved accreditation through the Royal College Internal Review and this opens the opportunity for propelling new leadership development.