Chronic pain lives in your body but is housed in your mind
- Ashleigh Zlotnik, PT, DPT
- 3 days ago
- 2 min read
Humans experience pain in response to perceiving a threat, whether this be an actual life or death situation or a smaller concern. This mechanism makes sense, right? We experience pain as an indication that something is wrong and to help us to mobilize resources to fix the problem. In situations like a broken bone or a cut, this is crucial for our survival. The problem comes when the brain is inaccurate in perceiving threat, leading to pain where there doesn’t need to be. Here’s 10 indications that the pain you are feeling may not be coming from your body, but rather from your brain feeling threatened.
Your symptoms started around a stressful time in your life, such as a death in the family, a breakup, a change in jobs, or the birth of a child. Even if it was many years ago, the stress of these experiences can live in your body.
Your symptoms are worse when you are emotionally or physically stressed. These experiences put your system on high alert and make the threat detection system more sensitive.
Your symptoms occur at the same time every day regardless of what activity you are doing, such as first thing in the morning, on the way home from work, or when going to bed.
Your symptoms are worse after doing an activity as opposed to during the activity. True injuries tend to hurt more during an activity and improve with rest.
Your symptoms move and change to different parts of your body over time. When one symptom gets better, another one gets worse, and you never actually feel better. This does not happen with a physical injury.
Your symptoms are worse when you are anticipating stress, such as before traveling, before a family gathering, or before a doctor’s appointment.
Your symptoms are better when you are participating in activities you really enjoy, such as spending time with your kids, playing a sport, or relaxing on vacation. This is especially true if the activity that typically triggers your symptoms, such as sitting, walking, or driving is no longer problematic when on vacation.
Your symptoms get worse when someone asks about them or when you shift your attention to them.
Your symptoms are related to an actual injury but symptoms have persisted without evidence of continued structural impairment.
Medical testing such as MRIs, X-rays, and lab work show inconclusive or negative results.
Now you may be thinking that this means the symptoms you experience are fake or made up or all in your head. This is not true. Your pain is REAL. It’s just perhaps not caused by something being physically wrong with your body. Does this sound like you? Contact Ashleigh at Physio Therapy Solutions today for a comprehensive evaluation. Chronic pain doesn’t have to be chronic.
Phone: 440-768-4788
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