Your Brain May Be Causing Your Chronic Pain—a Doctor Shares the Fix That Finally Brings Relief
In his new book 'Unlearn Your Pain,' Dr. Howard Schubiner reveals a 5-step plan that really works
Key Takeaways
- Chronic pain may continue even after the body has physically healed from injury.
- Pain reprocessing therapy (PRT) can help retrain the brain’s danger signals.
- Stress, fear and bottled-up emotions may worsen chronic pain symptoms over time.
Are you dealing with ongoing discomfort, such as back twinges or frequent headaches? You may not need pills or surgery to feel better. That’s because many types of chronic pain come from overactive neural circuits that keep sending the brain pain messages even when there’s no physical injury, says Howard Schubiner, MD, founder and director of the Mind Body Medicine Program at Providence Hospital in Michigan and author of Unlearn Your Pain. Here’s why that’s good news: You can retrain those signals, allowing your body to finally let go of the ache. Here, Dr. Schubiner’s five-step retraining strategy for lasting relief.
5 steps to healing chronic pain
If traditional pain management techniques haven’t worked and you’re tired of dealing with long-term discomfort, Dr. Scubiner’s mind-body treatment plan may be a good fit for you. Here’s how to get started and reduce pain:
Step 1: See your doctor
Before you can retrain neural circuits to silence chronic pain, it’s essential to get a medical evaluation, says Dr. Schubiner. “You want to be sure you’re not overlooking anything serious, such as a fracture, an infection, a tumor, an autoimmune disorder or other health condition.” Find out what the diagnosis is and try treatments, he advises. If tests come back clear or if medication or physical therapy doesn’t provide lasting pain relief, you’ve answered an important question: “Is the pain coming from a structural problem in the body—like physical damage or disease—or could it be generated by my brain?” If it’s the latter, you can begin using the tools in the next steps to retrain those pain pathways.
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Step 2: Spot signs of ‘neuroplastic’ pain
“All pain starts in the brain,” says Dr. Schubiner. When you break a bone, pull a muscle or have another physical injury, the brain turns on pain to protect you from further harm. What may surprise you is that emotional stress—like worry, grief or sadness—can activate those same pathways even when your body is physically fine. “This is ‘neuroplastic’ pain,” he explains. “It’s real discomfort caused by the brain’s alarm system trying to keep you safe.” Unfortunately, when difficult emotions are intense or ongoing, this alarm can become overly sensitive, creating aches even when there’s no injury. So, how can you tell if your discomfort is neuroplastic? Look for these telltale clues:
- Pain shifts with emotions: Your symptoms flare during worry, conflict or exhaustion, then the acute pain eases when you’re relaxed or distracted.
- Aches are inconsistent: They may change in intensity, come and go or feel different from day to day.
- Discomfort appears during harmless daily activities: Simple movements like sitting, standing or bending trigger soreness even though nothing is physically wrong.
- Certain cues are triggers: Specific places, smells, foods or situations seem to spark symptoms.
If these patterns sound familiar, your brain may be sending “false alarm” signals that trigger this type of pain. The tools in the next steps can help quiet them.
Step 3: Turn off the chronic pain danger signal
Whether your chronic pain has been around for weeks or years, you can retrain the brain’s neural circuits with an effective treatment known as pain reprocessing therapy (PRT), says Dr. Schubiner. “This process shifts the brain into a ‘safety’ mode, rather than a ‘danger’ mode,” he says. When the brain feels safer, it stops sending the alarm signals that keep chronic pain going. These PRT exercises can help:
- Recognize false alarms: Notice when your brain may be sounding an alarm even though your body is okay. “Your brain is watching your reaction to pain to decide whether to keep creating [pain signals] or calm down,” says Dr. Schubiner. If you respond with fear, it amps up its pain response. But when you respond with stillness, it reprograms neural circuits to stay quiet, making aches fade. Instead of bracing when a familiar twinge pops up, remind yourself that the sensation isn’t a sign of damage—it’s a protective reflex that’s gotten too sensitive. Then say, “This feels uncomfortable, but I’m fine. This will pass and I’m not in danger.”
- Repeat affirmations: Say positive, comforting phrases to yourself throughout the day. “Affirmations have been shown in an fMRI study to change the brain by reducing threat,” Dr. Schubiner says. Tell yourself something like, “My body is strong,” “This sensation will pass” or “I’m safe in this moment.”
- Return to movement: If you’ve linked certain body positions (like bending) or activities (such as hiking) with fear, your brain may automatically trigger discomfort when you do them. Gently reintroducing those movements teaches your neural circuits they’re safe to do again. When doing an activity you associate with pain, start small while reminding yourself, “My body knows how to do this.” Over time, your brain relearns that these actions are harmless.
Step 4: Tune into your emotions
Unprocessed anger, guilt, sadness or negativity can keep your brain stuck in danger mode. “Releasing these bottled-up emotions removes that trigger,” says Dr. Schubiner. Fortunately, you can free your feelings with Emotional Awareness and Expression Therapy (EAET), which works by strengthening these three key skills:
- Build agency: “This means believing you have the right to assert your needs and make decisions in your life that matter to you,” says Dr. Schubiner. Grab a pen and paper, then take five minutes to write about a situation where you wish you’d spoken up. End by jotting down one small boundary you can set this week.
- Strengthen connections: Sharing your feelings and being vulnerable with people you trust helps you feel more supported. Tell a friend, “I’ve been carrying a lot lately. Can I talk something through with you?”
- Honor self-integrity: This is the sense that you matter, you deserve self-compassion and you’re worthy. Place a hand on your heart and say, “I’m doing my best, and my feelings are valid.”
Step 5: Make life changes
The final step is creating a daily life that supports emotional healing and an improved quality of life. Look at the patterns that keep pressure high, such as overworking, people-pleasing, perfectionism, unresolved conflicts or nonstop stress. This doesn’t mean overhauling everything. Instead, create realistic changes that lower tension and boost joy: Set boundaries, ask for help, reconnect with hobbies or carve out moments of rest. “Even small shifts can send powerful safety signals to the brain,” assures Dr. Schubiner.
PRT often beats standard care for chronic pain relief
A study in JAMA Psychiatry found that the majority of participants with chronic backaches who tried pain reprocessing therapy (PRT) had significantly greater relief than those who received a placebo or usual treatments like medication or physical therapy. In fact, two-thirds of PRT users were pain-free or nearly pain-free after four weeks.
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This article originally appeared in the June 1, 2026, issue of Woman’s World.
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