Pain Train featured in the AMA Victoria’s VICDOC magazine
Pain management has come to me in various forms. It’s a pretty special feeling that my 11 years of experience with chronic pain may be useful for [...]
February 16th, 2018
10:12 am
September 9th, 2017
2:48 pm
Leader News: Prescription Drugs
(Moonee Valley Leader, Wednesday, September 6, 2017 Story by Carmel Green) “We’re such a pill-popping nation – we’re taught to reach for the tablet and soldier [...]
December 5th, 2014
9:40 am
Melbourne Leader story, Soula bares soul over pain
The following story was published in support of the current National campaign: Nerve Pain is Different. Please help us raise awareness for those with debilitating invisible pain. If you think you have [...]
October 7th, 2014
10:42 am
ANZCA Bulletin: Simple Accident Leads to Life of Pain
It took nearly five years of chasing answers, of tests and interventions, frustration, grief, and constant, unbearable pain to reach a diagnosis. The fall caused nerve damage in the pelvic area, very real but invisible on MRIs, examinations, X-rays and CT scans. “It is still a primitive time in pain. Being told for four and a half years ‘this is chronic pain ... go home and live with it, there’s nothing that can be done’ is brutal not to mention primitive.”
October 30th, 2013
9:58 pm
The book: Art & Chronic Pain – A Self Portrait
Yes, I've found another medium to express my pain and you can own your own copy of it! I didn't like the idea of creating a long description of my living [...]
July 5th, 2013
1:54 pm
Desktop mag: Creative Practice & Pain Management
(Article from Desktop Magazine’s feature article: Creative Practice and Pain Management)Written by Soula MantalvanosOrigin of Image is a multidisciplinary design studio based in Collingwood that is managed by professional and personal partners, [...]
May 9th, 2013
2:17 pm
My_Space, My facade, living with Pudendal Neuralgia
We don't usually love media, but a little attention after some lengthy hibernation from work was bound to be very valuable for our (Theo's and my) 12 or so year old business, Origin of Image. The lovely Sunday Style (Herald Sun) offered an interview in their 'My_Space' feature... hmmm, quite funny for us as there's nothing 'my' about 'our' life. We share work, living, we even share Pudendal Neuralgia (PN). However this media attention and the snap of me in Sunday's weekend paper had me staring at my portrait (thank you Marija Ivkovic) with curiousity at that captured second of my able life. I looked incredibly independent, active, like I was working full-time and like the issue I confessed to was clearly easy to live with. We are all judged on our facade... and although it was stated in the article that I have PN, I often wonder: can it (or any other invisible issue) ever be understood by my friends, family or community at a glance? The answer is obviously 'no'. I myself battle to understand this conflicting issue with its high sensitivity, on/off maddening, screaming and confusing signals and failing functions, and that's no surprise because even I can't see it! Theo puts it well, "I can't understand Pudendal Neuralgia but I believe Soula".