If you are one of the 50 million US adults suffering from chronic pain, you know the litany of treatments, including medications, injections, implanted stimulation devices, and surgeries — most of which provide little relief. Instead of the traditional treatments, what if there was a way to train your brain to take an active role in chronic pain management?
The Brain’s Role in Pain Perception
We feel pain because of the brain’s interpretation of it. When there is input to the the nervous system, like stepping on a tack, the brain quickly analyzes what has happened to determine if there is a threat. If it does, the brain provides output in the form of pain sensation. This protection and explaining aspect of the brain is very useful from an evolutionary perspective, but it can also cause problems with chronic pain. Not all input to the nervous system is a threat, but our brain may interpret it that way because of past experiences, memories, and connections. These cause our brain to predict what comes next, telling us that a back spasm, for example, is going to get much worse and will limit what we can do.
You Can Train Your Brain to Perceive Pain Differently
Dr. Evan Parks, clinical psychologist and author of Chronic Pain Rehabilitation: Active Pain Management that Helps You Get Back to the Life You Love, says that it is possible to create new associations in the brain, changing the way it analyzes information in a way that calms the entire central nervous system.
“Once chronic pain becomes part of your life, how you see your life changes. It is possible to train your brain, however, to see yourself in charge, rather than pain becoming the author of your story.”
Learn How to Train Your Brain
Dr. Evan Parks will join us for a Wellness Wednesday Webinar, “Talk to Your Brain to Manage Your Pain,” on October 14th from 11-11:45 am PT. Based on real-life case studies and brain science, Dr. Parks will share practical strategies for changing the way the brain thinks about pain as a key to long-term pain management and better health.
This program is free but you need to register to attend.