It’s probably not too controversial to suggest that pain is ‘all in the head’ or, more exactly, in our brain. But this simple fact is giving brain specialists a clue as to how we can better manage pain.
They have found that, for some patients, pain is a learned response. Painful experiences physically change the brain similar to the way that learning and retention does.
People who have experienced greater, and more frequent, pain may also have a greater sensitivity to pain as a result. They may also anticipate pain if the right stimulants are in place, just as Pavlov was able to make dogs salivate at thee sound of a bell. This may be especially the case in people with back pain who tense their muscles, and so, as a result, make the pain worse.
Specialists are trying techniques to ‘unlearn’ the brain about pain and its anticipation. Drugs may play a part in this process, but there may well also be a role for therapy in helping people better understand pain, and the way it quite literally shapes our brain.