Rise Above Pain

THE REMEDIES AND STRATEGIES THAT CAN HELP YOU ENJOY LIFE AGAIN

- LISA BENDALL & SUSANNAH HICKLING

Since his teens, Antony Chuter has faced severe discomfort from recurring kidney stones. This was compounded in adulthood by issues caused by sciatica and a connective-tissue condition affecting his feet, shoulders, and elbows.

The 51-year-old former IT engineer from Uckfield, East Sussex, used to try to push through his pain. In the early 1990s, he and his then-partner renovated houses and went sailing and night-clubbing. "We had a busy, active life," he says. But gradually the pain took over. Chuter started cancelling social engagements, and eventually lost his job, home and relationship. He sank into depression.

Chuter's doctor referred him to a pain clinic in 1995 but the real turning point came almost a decade later, when he participated in a six-week programme that included a peer-led pain self-management course. "It was a game-changer," he says. "I've learned the importance of living for the day and finding enjoyment in the things I'm able to do."

For relief he also does some gentle exercises, like an aqua walking class and simple workouts in the gym. And when Chuter feels pain flaring up, he'll listen to music and play a game on his phone. "That helps me chill out," he says.

Relaxation is just one of several methods he relies on to stay healthy and happy. He has a new partner and a comfortable home. And he's thrown himself into helping others dealing with long-term pain by setting up a men's support group, which meets twice a week on Zoom. "We listen to each other," he says. "The only rule is that we talk about how we feel in the moment. It's very cathartic."

At least one in five Europeans lives with chronic pain-defined as persistent pain that lasts for more than three months-and half of them say it interferes with their professional life. But there are ways to prevent chronic pain from defining you.