HER BODY GRIEVES HER UNSUNG PAIN: TRAUMATIC LIFE EXPERIENCES OF WOMEN LIVING WITH MEDICALLY UNEXPLAINED PAIN

Abstract

The present study has attempted to throw light on the traumatic life experiences of women with medically unexplained pain through individual in-depth interviews of eight women with chronic medically explained pain purposively selected from health care settings. The objectives were to explore the nature of their lived traumatic experiences; the causal factors and consequences of medically unexplained pain as understood by the participants; the coping mechanisms they used; and their help seeking behavior and experiences with health professionals. Data was transcribed and coded. The thematic analysis of the data reveals that the participants had undergone significant stressors right from early childhood and continuing throughout life. Childhood trauma was seen in the form of consistent, unfavorable discrimination between the siblings, not having a voice, consistently harsh parenting styles, having to take up excessive responsibilities and the unexpected death of loved ones. During adulthood they reported gender-based discrimination at home, workplaces and elsewhere in the form of role strain, sexual harassment, and oppression. The effects of the pain were in the areas of their sleep, diet, energy, interpersonal relationships and their sexual relationship with their partners. Participants largely reported seeking help from medical professionals and most of them reported having negative perceptions them. None of the participants consulted mental health professionals. Participants reported coping with the help of support from family and friends, medicines, Ayurveda and yoga. The findings have implications for medical and mental health professionals in facilitating the exploration of the physical and psychological aspects of pain during their examination of an individual’s concerns.