I experienced chronic pain for 6+ years. It began on August 17, 2017, and continued into 2024. I tried all sorts of diagnoses and treatments:
- X-Rays, MRIs, and Ultrasounds
- Physical therapy, strength training (with a coach), yoga
- Chiropractic, acupuncture, massage
- Functional medicine, traditional doctors, and naturopaths
- and more.
I spent thousands of dollars (I lost count) see all of these professional caregivers, in addition to investing in countless products for self-care at home:
- inversion table and light/heat therapy lamp
- bands, balls, weights, and massagers
- ointments, oils, supplements
- and more.
In December 2023, my therapist suggested I read a book: The Way Out: A Revolutionary, Scientifically Proven Approach to Healing Chronic Pain
This book changed my life.
I listened to the audiobook in less than 48 hours - once I started, I couldn’t stop. It couldn’t have been more resonant. I related to everything the authors share in the book. My entire experience with chronic pain finally started to make sense. That was a huge relief in itself, because until that point none of my experience made sense. The research presented in the book and the scientific explanations of pain that came out of the authors’ extensive research completely demystified my experience of pain.
Here’s the gist:
They identified a type of pain called neuroplastic pain. Neuroplastic pain is essentially pain in the absence of physical harm or danger.
With neuroplastic pain, the brain sends pain signals to the body when it doesn’t need to. This often happens due to an initial trauma or injury, which does genuinely require the brain to send pain signals for protection. However, after the injury or trauma heals and thus pain signals are no longer needed, the brain continues sending pain signals — the brain is “stuck” in a pattern that it learned during the injury, trauma, and healing process.
Neuroplastic pain results from the brain misinterpreting safe messages from the body as if they were dangerous. In other words, neuroplastic pain is a false alarm. - Pain Psychology Center
A solution to neuroplastic pain is Pain Reprocessing Therapy (PRT).
From my perspective and experience, pain reprocessing therapy involves mindful awareness, affirmations, self-reflection, journaling, and other practices. Stated simply (yet not at all simple in practice), it’s mind over matter.
It’s all about re-training the brain to learn that your body is ok and that it doesn’t need to send those pain signals, because the bodily injury or trauma has healed and no longer requires protection.
”PRT is a system of psychological techniques that rewires the brain to break out of the cycle of chronic pain.” - The Way Out book
I received guidance and support through for my pain reprocessing therapy from Curable (an app) and Curable Groups (a 12-week group program). It included weekly live group sessions and weekly self-paced workshops, which were facilitated by recordings from the Curable team.
Guess what… it worked!
Within 2 months, I was almost pain free. I hadn’t been able to say that for over 6 years.
Update:
As of August 2024, I haven’t had a pain flare-up in almost 6 months.
My experience of pain reliably increases when situations in life cause heightened stress and anxiety. Even with occasional fluctuations in pain sensations, I haven’t gone into a full flare-up, because I am consciously aware of what’s happening, understand it, and have tools that know how to use to navigate and mitigate the experience of pain.
Here’s one of my favorite daily affirmations (via InsightTimer), which I used every day for several months at the beginning of this process and return to occasionally as needed.
To anyone who is experiencing chronic pain or has experienced it in the past, and anyone whose loved ones experience chronic pain: I hope this information is supportive in your journey, and I wish you healing and ease in your body and mind.