Your Chronic Pain Is Real. But Its Source May Not Be What You Think

Pain is universal. It’s also extremely personal.

Almost everyone has experienced some kind of pain in their life, be it emotional or physical. Many of us, millions in fact, also suffer from chronic pain. I know I have. And while we might think we know exactly where the pain stems from, many times, the source of the pain is not what we think.

Every year, the medical community is learning more and more about pain — its origins, its function, and its relationship to the mind and body. While research has long shown that pain comes from the brain, many scientists and doctors haven’t necessarily engaged with this critical information. Remember the last time you went to the doctor for pain? You were probably prescribed medication, maybe you got an X-ray and perhaps that did the trick.

Unfortunately, for the millions of Americans suffering from chronic pain, simple interventions often don’t work. Why? Because we’re often misdiagnosing the source of the pain and thus, mistreating it as well.

Thankfully, a new study published in the Journal of Pain provides new data to help us understand pain — where it comes from, why we experience it, and how we can not only better manage it, but in some cases eradicate it completely….