Aches Aren’t Just Aging: A Pain Advocate’s World Arthritis Day Message

For Barby Ingle, this World Arthritis Day’s focus on achieving your dreams hits close to home.

Ingle, a chronic pain educator, patient advocate and president of the International Pain Foundation, lives with two forms of arthritis. She developed them as an adult, after years as an athlete.

Taking pain one moment at a time

In the early days of her diagnosis, Ingle said, she felt like she was losing everything. To cope, she stopped thinking in 24-hour stretches and focused on getting through each moment, breaking time down even further when she needed to.

She also gave herself grace on days when pain and swelling kept her from doing things, and she used the time she was bed-bound or in a wheelchair to think about her goals. Counseling helped her focus on who she is, not just what she could do on a given day.

When aches get written off as normal

Getting diagnosed took years. Doctors told Ingle her joint pain and swelling were normal for an athlete. She said older adults often hear something similar.

“Just because you’re getting older doesn’t mean that you have to have all these aches and pains,” Ingle said.

She encourages patients to read their medical records through patient portals. When she went back through her own, she found that doctors had noted possible facet arthritis or osteoarthritis without ever telling her.

Finding care that fits you

There are more than 100 types of arthritis, so Ingle recommends finding a specialist who treats your specific type. That could be an M.D., a D.O. or a particular kind of rheumatologist. What works for a sibling or parent may not work for you.

When a provider said they had done all they could, Ingle kept looking.

“I had to realize that’s all they could do for me. That’s not all that exists in the world that could help me,” she said.

Building a network

Ingle also encourages people to connect patients, caregivers, providers and industry so they can share a common language and fill gaps in care. She suggests staying informed and considering clinical trials.

“Become the educated patient,” Ingle said. “Remember that there’s great reason for hope because there’s help. All you have to do is reach out and seek it.”