A photo of Willemijn, who discusses visual snow syndrome

Living with Visual Snow Syndrome

Willemijn lives with a rare condition called visual snow syndrome, or VSS. She sees static in her entire field of vision, no matter if her eyes are open or closed. This constantly moving static is black and white, similar to that of an old TV. The static itself is only Read more…

Cover photo for the video version of the Major Pain season 5 premiere, featuring snapshots from the video conversations. From left to right: Joey, Colby, Jesse and Angela

Season 5 Premiere! Catching Up With Previous Guests Joey, Colby and Angela

Today we are kicking off the fifth season of Major Pain! Jesse reflects on the past year before we jump into three interviews with previous guests, updating us on their health journeys. Joey tells us about a surgery to manage his hidradenitis suppurativa, plus updates on his amazing advocacy work. Read more…

How Chronic Pain Led Pallavi to Holistic Wellness

Pallavi’s journey through chronic pain began with physical agony, but led to spiritual transformation. She grew up in India with a deep love of dance that had turned into a passionate career in her early 20s. On a fateful day about 6 months after her marriage in 2011, she fell Read more…

Can Fibromyalgia and Fitness Coexist? An Interview with Coach Ki

After being diagnosed with fibromyalgia, Kiera (AKA Coach Ki) did some online research to see if she would be able to continue her fitness journey. She was disheartened to find several accounts of people unable to continue training with this disease. Kiera has been passionate about fitness since she was Read more…

Living with a Pituitary Adenoma

Three years ago Andi Alhadeff was stricken with a sudden influx of intrusive thoughts, a condition often associated with OCD, along with extreme anxiety and nausea. Blood tests showed elevated prolactin, a hormone produced by the pituitary gland. Further testing revealed that Andi had a pituitary adenoma (or prolactinoma), a Read more…

When Unexpected Illness Prompts Career Changes

Justin Balch has lived many lives, having been derailed several times by chronic pain and health issues. While studying as a saxophone performer he developed a mystery pain that forced him to put down his instrument permanently. He adjusted course and became a professional audio engineer, until a barotrauma caused Read more…