Chronic pain affects millions of people around the world. Here in the U.S., it has been estimated that 20% of adults will experience chronic pain at least once in their lives. Sometimes the pain is permanent; other times it is only temporary. Regardless, chronic pain does not have to rule your life.

If you suffer from any type of chronic pain for which there seems to be no end in sight, consider the example of 23-year-old Frankie Butler. She was a rising field hockey star in the UK when an injury sustained in a match left her in such pain that she was unable to walk. Three years later, despite continuing to live with chronic pain, she is living her fullest life yet.

Complex Regional Pain Syndrome

When Butler first sustained her injury, doctors assumed it was minor enough that she would be back on the field in short order. But that did not happen. In fact, her pain gradually got worse. The pain only presented in her left leg, but it was severe enough that it was all-consuming.

Butler was eventually diagnosed with complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS). This comparatively rare condition causes intense pain that is disproportionate to the injury or disease that was originally responsible for it. In Butler’s case, what appeared to be a minor injury has led to severe pain that is always present to some degree.

Not Letting It Win

Over many months of treatment, pain relievers, and physical therapy, Butler was determined that her condition was not going to win. But even though the physical health of her leg improved, her pain did not subside. She forced herself to learn how to walk with crutches. That was a victory of sorts, but it only made her pain worse.

Finally, one of Butler’s doctors suggested she start using a wheelchair. The doctor explained that doing so would not be admission of defeat. Rather, it would open the door to Butler actually living the kind of life she wanted to live. Thankfully, she heeded her doctor’s advice.

Mobile and Active

Transitioning to a wheelchair gave Butler her life back. It allowed her to be mobile and active. She may never again play field hockey, but she routinely trains in her chair in order to compete in long-distance races. She has even raced in a marathon.

It took Butler a while to get used to using her chair. As she explains it, the early days were all about working a bunch of muscles she never knew she had. But with practice and upper body weight training, she gained the strength she needed to be a competitive racer.

There Are Options

The pain experts at Lone Star Pain Medicine in Weatherford, TX, say there are pain-relieving treatments for CRPS. Those treatments do not work for everyone. Still, anyone suffering from the condition has options. They don’t have to let pain be in control.

Chronic pain patients can adapt their lifestyles to accommodate their conditions without succumbing to the conditions themselves. Butler’s willingness to start using a wheelchair is the perfect example. The chair accommodates her leg pain without forcing her to limit herself because of the pain.

Living with chronic pain is not easy. It is physically, emotionally, and mentally exhausting. But with the right attitude and the help of pain management professionals, pain doesn’t have to be in control. It can be fought and overcome. It can be worked around. It can be put in its proper place so the patient can live a fulfilling and rewarding life.