1 in 5. This is the number of adults with chronic pain, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Unlike acute pain (which is triggered suddenly by something specific, such as a cavity, a broken bone, a burn, or a cut), chronic pain is ongoing. And it can be caused by many conditions, from migraines and arthritis to multiple sclerosis and even cancer. The following women offer a glimpse of what it is like to live day to day with chronic pain. Read their stories and you will see that you do not have to suffer alone.

Macy Owen, a radiology technician, was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) when she was only 22 years old. Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease in which the immune system attacks healthy cells in the body, causing painful swelling. When she learned that lifestyle habits helped her manage and minimize arthritis, she reviewed her diet, exercise, and sleep. By focusing on favorite activities like yoga and Pilates, exercise became something she "wanted" to do rather than something she "had to do."

For the now 27-year-old, who lives in Knoxville, Tennessee, the incentive to stay on track is powerful. Owen says, "If I eat too much chocolate on an off day, my joints hurt so much that it wakes me up from sleep." 'I also notice that first thing in the morning. The stiffness in my joints lasts twice as long as normal."

Sure, she has to work a little harder to do things she used to be able to do without hesitation, like open a bottle or run a mile, but she remembers all the things her body allows her to do. 'RA might be after me,' she says. But they need to get to me first."

Shivika Sinha, 36, of San Francisco, California, spent the early days of the pandemic bedridden, but not for reasons related to COVID-19. She was in the late stages of her first pregnancy and was experiencing severe pain as a result of what turned out to be pubic symphysis dysfunction. This condition occurs when the pelvic joints become stiff and irregular in movement, causing pain that affects mobility. For this reason, her doctor ordered her to rest for the last few weeks. To make matters worse, she was simultaneously trying to maintain a business she had just started up. (She is the founder of Veneka, a sustainable, ethical, and cruelty-free wardrobe styling service.)

After the birth, Sinha's discomfort continued. She says, "For the first year postpartum, I suffered from chronic pain. I had pelvic issues that constantly caused sciatica and lower back pain," she says. Breastfeeding both her newborn baby and her soon-to-be-founded business did not automatically relieve her from the pain that was released throughout her body with the slightest movement. So she put into practice a simple but effective method. Sinha says, "Every day I tried to surround myself with joy, love, and stillness." From the baby's cries to the small victories at work, I savored those moments that reminded me that everyday life is magical and more beautiful than pain."

Sonia Frontera, a 57-year-old attorney in Lambertville, New Jersey, does not have just one chronic illness. She has a rare autoimmune disease called recurrent polychondritis, which causes ear pain, swelling, nausea, and dizziness; chronic migraines; myofascial pain syndrome, which causes tinnitus, TMJ disorder, and neck and wrist pain. Imagine "having your eyeball pierced with an ice pick while your head is full of crickets" and you will understand the pain Frontale experiences on a daily basis.

But aside from the physical symptoms, it is the emotional aspect of living with chronic pain that she finds most challenging. "People often dismiss your symptoms as hypochondria when they are 'invisible,'" she says. "To be misunderstood and criticized is to be devastated," she said. Over the years, she has learned to become a medical advocate herself. Her advice to those experiencing chronic pain, she says, is. "Document your symptoms and explore how they relate to your diet, activities, and mood. Then share that information with your healthcare team."

For more than 20 years, chronic pain has been Lacey Smith's constant companion. The Phoenix, Arizona-based wife and mother of two was diagnosed with psoriasis, a skin disease that causes red, itchy, scaly patches, and interstitial cystitis, a painful bladder disorder. To help those around her understand this, she uses what she calls the spoon theory. There are a certain number of spoons each day, and each spoon represents a certain amount of energy and mobility," explains Smith, now 39 and working as a physical therapy assistant. One day you wake up with one spoon, another day you wake up with 15 spoons." You have to separate the spoons each day depending on what you want to accomplish." For example, "If I have something important to do with my family, I have to save all my spoons for that event or the rest of the day can be ruined." Structure and Schedule Are Key "It took me years to realize that if you try to keep your schedule completely open, you have more opportunities to overdo things," she says.