When Irene Hegarty began experiencing migraines after contracting a virus in 2022, she initially presumed they were temporary.

Three-and-a-half years on, however, the 55-year-old from Cork city still suffers from daily debilitating pain.

“It’s severe, constant pain”, explains Irene. “24/7. Sometimes it could be like an army marching in my head. Other days it could be like barbed wire, or a knife in my temple.”

Irene is one of many people across Ireland living with chronic pain, which is defined as pain lasting longer than three months.

Charity Chronic Pain Ireland estimates that up to one in three people in the country live with the condition, which they describe as often invisible and misunderstood.

It can affect anyone at any age and can strike after illness, injury, or due to unknown causes.

September is Pain Awareness Month, and Chronic Pain Ireland has launched a new campaign - ‘Beyond the Surface’ - which highlights the hidden struggles of chronic pain and the stigma that surrounds it.

Irene, a brand ambassador for Chronic Pain Ireland, is no stranger to these struggles.

“I’ve tried all the major drugs, injections, treatments, everything”, she says. “But they haven’t given me any relief.”

The pain affects all aspects of Irene’s life. Once a social butterfly who loved to attend gigs and concerts, “all that has been curtailed”, as pain and exhaustion frequently leave her housebound.

On better days, when she is well........

© Evening Echo