The Hidden Power of the Brain: The Impact of Pain On Healing

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Pain is real. Ignore it at your own peril. Think of it as your check engine light. While pain is not a good parameter for how much damage has happened, it does play a role in helping you assess how dangerous the situation is.

Boots Knighton and her physical therapist, Ann Alton, take you through a 40-minute lesson on pain, the brain’s role in pain perception and recovery. They compare different types of pain, from broken legs to open-heart surgery, emphasizing the brain’s influence and the importance of context. Ann shares her journey from chronic pain to becoming a pain neuroscience expert. They discuss the importance of clear medical explanations, the impact of emotional scars, and the brain’s ability to rewire for healing. Ann highlights the need for patient-provider teamwork and in order to address healthcare biases.

Ann also walks us through how pain involves the whole body and all systems. Nociception is the perception of pain. Areas of the brain used to determine pain are: sensory cortex, somatosensory cortex, anterior cingulate cortex, insular cortex, prefrontal, visual, thalamus, cerebellum, and premotor motor. 

Big thanks to Ann Alton for spending time with Boots today and in the clinic to help her navigate healing from a tib/fib spiral fracture!

00:00 Experiencing chronic pain led to becoming a physical therapist, inspired by pain neuroscience.

03:58 Pain is an alarm system, not a measure of damage.

09:30 Pain perception is based on context and prior experience.

11:36 Chronic body issues trigger brain’s perceived danger, intervention options.

13:52 Pain perception is subjective; varies based on individual experience and expectations.

18:10 Extra nerve endings and inflammation signal danger to brain, causing concern and irritation.

22:44 Bias in medical system affects care for diverse patients. Research based on white men overlooks differences in care needs.

26:24 Practitioners struggle to keep up with new information and must learn independently.

29:57 Our brain helps us evaluate and visualize situations for appropriate action and memory recall.

34:01 Understanding and clarity bring relief.

35:19 Seek help for understanding medical information, simplify explanations.