Rewiring Your Brain to Change the Way You Feel Pain

Pain is Real, But So Is Neuroplasticity!

Let’s face it - pain is something we’ve all dealt with, whether it’s that nagging lower back, an old sports injury, or something more serious. The interesting thing? How we think about pain can actually change the way we feel it.

You may have heard the term neuroplasticity thrown around. It’s the brain’s way of adapting and rewiring itself based on what we do, think, or experience. This guide is going to explain how neuroplasticity can help you reduce the pain you feel by changing how your brain processes it. Sound too good to be true? Science says otherwise!

How the Brain Handles Pain

Pain isn’t just something that happens at the surface level. Sure, you stub your toe, and it hurts, but what’s actually happening? Here’s a breakdown:

• Your body sends a message through the nervous system to the brain.

• Your brain interprets it, deciding how bad it feels.

• But here’s the kicker—emotions, past experiences, and even what you expect all play a role in how much pain you feel.

• Then your brain sends a signal to give you an appropriate amount of pain (it thinks). That will usually be enough pain to stop you doing things, and that level of pain will be different for everyone and very dependent on the point above.

Chronic pain (the kind that sticks around) can actually change the way your brain works. It rewires itself to expect pain. Over time, your brain becomes really good at feeling pain—almost like it’s a habit!

A study by Baliki et al. (2012) found that chronic pain changes the way your brain connects different regions, making it more sensitive to pain. This is where neuroplasticity comes in—if your brain can adapt to feel more pain, it can also be retrained to feel less.

Neuroplasticity – Rewiring the Pain Circuit

So, how does this work? Neuroplasticity is your brain's way of saying, “Hey, I can learn new tricks!” It allows you to rewire the circuits in your brain that amplify pain.

Your brain thinks in pictures, which is why visualization can actually change the way your brain processes pain. When you practice visualization techniques, you activate parts of the brain that control emotions, focus, and even pain intensity.

A study by Moseley et al. (2002) found that people with chronic pain who used techniques like visualization and changing their thinking about pain were able to reduce how intense their pain felt. This is because neuroplasticity lets us reprogram the pathways that process pain.

Be Careful With Your Words!

Here’s something you might not have considered—the way you talk about pain affects how your brain perceives it. Ever notice how when someone asks, “How are you?” and you answer, “Oh, my back is killing me!” it makes the pain feel worse? You focus more as it's brought to your attention.

Your brain can’t really handle negative thoughts well. It tends to focus on them, making them bigger than they need to be. Catastrophizing, or focusing on the worst-case scenario, actually makes pain feel more intense. If you’ve been living with pain for years, it’s easy to slip back into that habit. The brain likes what it knows!

So, if you’re working on rewiring your brain, pay attention to how you describe your pain. Instead of saying, “I’m in agony,” try, “I’m working on feeling more comfortable and at ease.”

If you decide to work with me, as part of the session I'll show you how to keep the pain away. ‘Asking for the pain back’ sounds ridiculous, doesn’t it? Who would do that? Well, you can do it by mistake by either saying or thinking the same phrases you use every day. For example: “I can't lift that. I've got a bad back,” “I'm always sore first thing in the morning till I get going,” or even just expecting pain when you're doing something like golfing, peeling potatoes, or climbing stairs.

It's Always Easier to Do Something New When You're With Someone Who’s Done It Before

One thing you need to know is this: change takes time. Neuroplasticity is a process—it requires practice, patience, and persistence.

And here's the tricky part: because your brain likes to return to what it knows, it’s easy to revert to old habits. That’s where I come in. I can teach you how to change your way of thinking and begin a new chapter in your life, turn over a new page. I'm not going to tell you it's going to take weeks and weeks to see a result. That's not the way I work. I like to get results fast for my clients. Read what Moira wrote below.

I have been a holistic practitioner helping people out of pain for over 16 years, so I have a lot of experience in this specific area. My goal is to help you shift your perspective and break free from the patterns that keep you stuck in chronic pain.

Moira's Testimonial:

"After having one session from Jan Mathers, the arthritic pain and stiffness that I have endured for the past 63 years disappeared immediately, much to my astonishment and my delight. I was at last able to get out of bed easily in the morning and move around with ease."

Ready to Start Your Pain Reduction Journey?

So, now you know that changing the way you think about pain can actually change the way you feel it.

My mission is simple: I want to help as many people out of pain as I can, as quickly as I can.

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To take advantage of my 50% for 50% offer.

Until 1st December 2024 you can sign up for 1 zoom call

(normally I do 2 sessions) for half the price I normally charge.

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References

• Baliki, M. N., et al. (2012). Corticostriatal functional connectivity predicts transition to chronic pain. Nature Neuroscience, 15(8), 1117-1119.

• Moseley, G. L., et al. (2002). Visual feedback reduces pain and swelling. Journal of Musculoskeletal Pain, 10(1-2), 107-112.