Pain relief is about having a life

I’m Janine Monty, the writer behind Arthritic Chick. I live with severe chronic pain, inflammatory disease and neurological disability. I write about what happens when pain treatment succeeds, when it fails, and when policy matters more to a clinician than the person in front of them.

Does This Look Like Success? documents what happened to my pain and function after my opioid dose was reduced. I compare what I could do before with what I can do now: work, move, sleep, see people and take part in my own life.

Correcting the Record examines chronic pain research, media coverage and clinical guidance. I read the underlying evidence, show where a public claim goes beyond it, and request a correction when the record warrants one.

Start with my current writing on Substack, or explore the articles and personal history here. Older posts reflect what I knew and experienced when I wrote them; I’m reviewing the archive and adding updates where my circumstances or understanding have changed.