Rita Maharjan woke up with excruciating pain in her lower neck. The pain worsened when she started vomiting profusely, and even after two days, it persisted.

‘’I was scared my wife had contracted some deadly disease, so I rushed her to the emergency clinic. The doctors ran multiple tests and scans, but to no avail,” says Rita’s husband. Rita’s case is a typical example of undiagnosed pain. Nothing has shown up in her routine medical tests, and she has normal vitals.

Although doctors later detected some irregularities in her spinal fluid analysis, there was still no concrete indication of the reason behind the pain. “It is incredibly unsettling and frustrating for someone with real pain to not know the cause. Some patients may even begin questioning their own sanity.”

Not all patients have access to advanced care and medical services, and this means many are deprived of quality diagnosis altogether. Rita’s story underscores the larger problem of a general lack of facilities to diagnose complex forms of chronic pain in Nepal.

Rita’s husband wants this issue to come to light. “Undiagnosed pain is a trial no one should suffer through,” he adds.

This painting symbolizes the uncertainty Rita feels about her pain. Simultaneously, it shows her husband’s optimism that their story will prompt attention and change.

(The name of the patient has been changed to protect her identity.)

(The name of the patient has been changed to protect his identity.)