What is Neuroplastic Pain?

Chronic pain affects an estimated 1.5 billion people worldwide, yet many cases are not caused by ongoing structural damage. Modern neuroscience has shown that much chronic pain arises when the brain misreads normal, safe signals from the body as though they were dangerous. In other words, the brain can generate real pain even when there is no injury present. This is known as neuroplastic pain, and it can apply to back pain, neck pain, fibromyalgia, repetitive strain injuries, headaches, and more

Pain is meant to act as a danger signal. When an injury occurs, the brain receives messages of damage and creates pain to protect us. But sometimes the brain becomes overprotective and misreads normal, safe sensations as threatening. In these moments, the pain you feel is a false alarm — real and intense, but not caused by damage in the body.

Neuroplastic pain is not “in your head.” Brain imaging studies clearly show that the pain is real. The good news is that the brain can learn these pain pathways — and it can also unlearn them. By retraining the brain’s protective system, it’s possible to reduce or eliminate chronic symptoms.

What is Pain Reprocessing Coaching?

Pain Reprocessing Therapy (PRT) is an evidence-based approach designed to retrain these misfiring neural pathways. By teaching the brain to correctly interpret bodily sensations and shift out of protection mode, PRT helps interrupt the pain-fear cycle and supports long-term relief. While many treatments focus on managing symptoms, PRT directly targets the brain-based patterns that can maintain chronic pain.

A randomized controlled trial published in JAMA Psychiatry found that 98% of participants improved with Pain Reprocessing Therapy, and 66% were pain-free or nearly pain-free by the end of treatment. Most of these benefits were still present one year later.¹

Can PRT still benefit me if my pain is caused by a physical issue?

Yes! Pain Reprocessing Therapy (PRT) is designed to treat neuroplastic pain, but it can also be helpful for people who have both structural conditions and a mind-body component to their symptoms. In situations where a medical condition exists (such as MS, arthritis, or cancer), PRT does not remove the structural source of pain — but it can reduce the additional distress created by fear, tension, overprotection, and the brain’s amplified danger response.

Because PRT focuses on calming the nervous system and changing the brain’s interpretation of signals, many people with “mixed pain” notice meaningful relief. You can safely use PRT alongside the medical treatments recommended by your healthcare providers.

Does PRT help with chronic symptoms besides pain?

Absolutely. Many chronic symptoms — such as fatigue, headaches or migraines, dizziness, nausea, IBS and other gastrointestinal issues, tinnitus, neuropathy, insomnia or other sleep difficulties, vertigo, POTS-like symptoms, skin changes, and other persistent medically unexplained sensations— share the same brain-based mechanisms that maintain chronic pain. PRT helps retrain the nervous system’s response to these sensations, often leading to noticeable improvement.

How long does Pain Reprocessing take?

Research shows significant pain reduction is often achieved around the 8–12 session mark and can be long-lasting, but the total duration varies by individual, as each person progresses at a different pace.²

Sources

¹ https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamapsychiatry/fullarticle/2784694
² https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2809959