Did you know that over 2 billion people worldwide live with chronic pain? I was one of them. Desperate for relief, I tried everything—13 physical therapists, 8 chiropractors, 17 injections, and every imaginable posture-correcting exercise. But nothing worked.
Here’s the kicker: the majority of chronic pain is ‘neuroplastic’—pain that’s essentially ‘learned’ by the brain and nervous system. It becomes hardwired, making physical solutions like surgeries or therapies ineffective.
Neuroplastic pain occurs when the brain misinterprets safe signals from the body as dangerous, forming neural pathways associated with pain. Fear and avoidance reinforce this cycle, making the pain persist long after the initial injury heals. This cycle trapped me for years.
Despite being told that my bulging discs, torn rotator cuff, arthritis, degeneration, and other issues were the cause, if the pain lasts longer than three months, it’s most likely neuroplastic or learned pain.
But then I learned about the brain science behind chronic pain. Armed with this knowledge, I overcame years of chronic joint pain surprisingly quickly. Despite being told by multiple orthopedic surgeons that I needed reconstructive surgery and would likely live with chronic pain, I found a way to heal.
Here’s what you need to understand: doctors, surgeons, and other professionals aren’t necessarily pain experts. Chronic pain is complex, deeply connected to the brain and nervous system, including trauma, emotions, brain wave state, physiology, and biology.
All pain originates in the brain, filtered through the nervous system. Therefore, the state of our nervous system significantly impacts both the development of chronic pain and the intensity of the pain we feel.
Countless mind-body practitioners, myself included, have witnessed individuals fully recover from pain that plagued them for years—even after failed surgeries and extensive treatments. This healing is only possible by prioritizing nervous system healing.
So, yes, nervous system dysregulation leads to chronic pain, but it also prevents us from healing from it. If you’re living with chronic joint pain, know that you don’t have to accept it as permanent.
Unresolved trauma, repressed emotions, fear, and nervous system dysregulation are what keep your pain signals on. After over a decade of studying chronic pain and consulting with top experts, I can confirm: chronic pain is learned, and it can be unlearned.
I personally unlearned my chronic pain by prioritizing nervous system healing—and I’ve helped countless others do the same. Despite still having five bulging discs in my neck and several torn tendons and ligaments, I am pain-free.
Tissue abnormalities aren’t the cause of pain in most cases; it’s backed by science and millions worldwide have successfully healed. You don’t have to be an exception. Healing is within your reach, but it requires addressing your nervous system.
