Chronic Pain

Lately I have been taking another deep dive into the research and treatment of chronic pain (for the expansion and update of Wholistically Healing Pelvic Pain Program). 

The numbers are simply staggering... 

Did you know that approximately 20% of adults around the world are living in chronic pain? This means that 50 million Americans are suffering. Amazingly, this number is higher than the combination of Diabetes, Cancer and Heart Disease combined. And about 70% of people in chronic pain are women. Moreover, chronic pain is the number one cause of long-term disability. 

I could go on and on, but suffice to say, those living with some kind of chronic pain syndrome need more help... 

Are you living with chronic pain? 

If you are, I am sorry, and I want you to know that there is help to be had. No one deserves to live years just trying to make it through the day. 

If this is you, I want you to understand a few facts.  

Pain is here to protect you, but likely not in the way you think. 

Pain is here to protect you from injury (or from further injury). 

Contrary to what most of us have been taught, pain is not here to tell you how much tissue damage you already have. 

This bears repeating, pain is not about the state of your tissues, especially when there is not structural damage or previous damage has healed. 

Yes, it is true that your tissues send information about how they are doing up to your brain, but it is your brain that decides what to do with that information. If your brain’s danger detection system is activated and the brain thinks (more) injury can occur then the brain will send a signal of pain down to your tissues. But if, for example, you are running from a tiger and you trip and sprain your ankle, your brain will not send a signal of pain to your ankle. Your brain makes a decision that your survival is more important. Instead, you likely won’t even feel pain in your ankle until after the immediate danger from the tiger has passed. 

So, pain actually comes from your brain. And, as I just stated above, it is your brain that makes the decision about whether or not to send a pain signal down to your body based on past experiences, emotions, the sensitivity and state of your autonomic nervous system, and what it feels the level of danger is. 

In my next blog, I will share a bit more about chronic pain, but in the meantime, I hope you marinate on this new information about chronic pain. If you have seen your medical provide(s) and your pain is not (or no longer) due to tissue or structural damage, then you may be wondering why your brain is deciding to send pain signals down to your tissues... 

In Peace and Kindness, 

Jennifer Chu, MS, PT, WCS, Mind-Body Coach