Pain Is Not What You Think It Is

Even though it seems like it, pain is not a local phenomenon.
It’s not happening where you feel it.
Even if you just sprained your ankle and it’s swollen to the size of a melon.
Pain is an output—a projection of the brain.
Somewhere in your brain, there’s a map of your ankle, and your brain is projecting the hurt onto that area. The result? It feels like the pain is coming from the injured site.

“Is It All in My Head?”

When I explain this concept, I’m always asked: “Are you saying it’s all in my head?”
And the answer is YES!
But it’s not just pain—it’s true with everything.
Everything you’ve ever experienced is brain-derived: your memories, thoughts, actions, and emotions. Your life experiences, judgments, and perceptions? All governed by the brain.

The Life-Changing Realization

This concept changed everything for me.
Not too long ago, I suffered from chronic pain. I’d had major injuries in the past, and though they healed (range of motion and strength returned), I still experienced frequent bouts of pain.

Where Did the Pain Come From?

Even with major knee damage behind me, I could do just about everything I did before the injury. My understanding is that even serious and devastating injuries heal within a couple of years.
This meant what I was experiencing was being created by my brain—not from an injury that occurred several years earlier.

Why Does Your Brain Create Pain?

There are many reasons the brain creates pain. It’s somewhat individual and personal for each of us, but generally, it’s sending a message that we need to change something.
Something we’re experiencing or how we’re moving is perceived as a threat by the brain. The quickest way to get you to stop and pay attention is to create an output that demands your focus.
This is often pain, but it can also be fatigue, depression, anxiety, dizziness, or other symptoms.

Why This Understanding Is Helpful

It’s great to understand how this works, but how does this information actually help when dealing with pain?

It Gets You Looking in the Right Place for Answers

If your brain is what creates the sensation, shouldn’t we address the issue there?
Sure, we should do therapy for the injured site. But we tend to keep trying one therapy after another while what needs the most attention often gets neglected.
Let’s start looking where this is created and work on fixing the issue from there as well.

You Realize You Are Not Your Injury

It’s common to identify with our injuries. We think, “I have an ACL injury, so I can no longer run” or “I have back issues, so I can’t squat or lift anything heavy.”
When you understand why you’re having pain, you can move past this identity. You’re less likely to limit your actions and movements, which helps prevent further limitations and chronic pain.

Pain Is Not an Injury, and Injury Does Not Mean Pain

It’s common to associate pain with injury, yet we can have pain for no apparent reason—at least not one we’re aware of. I call these “phantom pains.”
Suddenly you have excruciating pain in your foot. After a couple of hours, you’re wondering if what you experienced was a dream because now your ankle feels great.
We can also have an injury without pain. It’s possible to have tissue damage without any symptoms. Doctors can see the injury on a scan, but you didn’t even know you had it.

Change Can Be Instant

When you discover what your brain needs more or less of, you begin the journey to making it feel safe. This can result in a sudden decrease in pain and other symptoms.
So you don’t need to hold onto concepts like “I can’t do that because it’s going to hurt my…” Chances are, the inactivity will decrease your strength, movement, and resilience—and that will drive more pain in the future.

The Takeaway

If we can move past our old definitions and understanding of pain, we can experience it for what it really is: an output of the brain.
Once we embrace that, we can get to work finding what you need more or less of. More specifically, what movements, balance, vestibular, eye exercises, and proprioception work do you need?
The best part? You don’t have to identify with your limitations. You are not your injury.
Go out and live—especially if you’ve had adequate time to heal.

Keep moving!

Ed Scaduto

If you need help or assistance, please contact me at [email protected].