How regulating your nervous system can reduce chronic pain
When you have a chronic pain condition, your first port of call is usually the doctors. You’ll probably be given a prescription for pain meds and possibly a referral for physical therapy. While these things can help, and are sometimes necessary - did you know that by taking the time to regulate your nervous system you may be able to reduce the impact that chronic pain has on your daily life?
What causes chronic pain?
It’s helpful to start by thinking about the difference between acute and chronic pain. Because the processes involved are very different. With acute pain, such as the type caused when you stub your toe - the pain comes on suddenly.
It lets you know that something is wrong and that you should try not to do it again anytime soon. Then before you know it, the pain is gone and you've likely forgotten all about it. The pain served its purpose and there’s no point in it continuing.
Chronic pain is rather different. This is because it can still bother you long after the original injury or illness occurred. Here, the pain signals within your nervous system keep activating for several weeks, months or even years later.
What's the relationship between your nervous system and chronic pain?
Generally there is some kind of dysregulation involved between your nervous system and the pain your brain experiences. Say you injured your back, and your back healed, yet you continued to experience mild pain some 7 months later. Here, it’s likely that one of two things is happening.
Either there is an oversensitivity within your nervous system leading to ‘over the top’ responses and activation of pain signals; or
your brain (which is also part of your nervous system) is misinterpreting other messages and signals within the nervous system as pain.
Signs your nervous system is unregulated includes:
● Gut problems
● Fatigue
● Restlessness
● Skin issues (resulting from unmanaged stress)
How can you regulate your nervous system to reduce pain?
Managing chronic pain often takes a multidisciplinary and holistic approach. Because chronic pain is complex and various factors can make it worse. Many people find a combination of nutritional interventions, movement therapy and/or medications can help. But, it’s also important to look at regulating your nervous system, as for many people this may be the missing puzzle piece in chronic pain management.
So, what can you do?
Well, you can work to calm the ‘pain brain’ -this can help to break the vicious circle between the initial pain trigger, the understandable response of heightened stress and then the downstream worsened pain experience. To do this, you need to switch from your default setting being fight or flight, to rest and digest. This is because when you have chronic pain you are likely spending a lot of your time with an overactive autonomic nervous system.
Your autonomic nervous system is what gets activated when you need to take action - it increases your heart rate, quickens your breathing rate and prepares you to fight, flight or freeze. And unless you’re running from a tiger, you certainly don’t need to be in this state 24/7. Especially if you're just sitting at home checking your emails. Sadly, chronic pain can ‘trap you’ in the fight or flight state - exacerbating your pain levels and causing you other unpleasant symptoms such as a racing heart and poor sleep, which can again worsen your pain and quality of life.
Here are some simple but highly effective ways to turn on your parasympathetic rest and digest nervous system:
Mindfulness or meditation
There are so many different kinds of mindful practices , so you're bound to find something you enjoy. You can either sit in quiet contemplation for 10-20 minutes once or twice a day, try mindful walking or count your breaths in and out. All of these practices help to slow your heart rate down and control your breathing. And some are even designed to help you cope with pain by bringing you into the present moment and noticing different sensations in your body without labeling them good or bad.
There are many free and easy to follow online guides and apps available to help you get started. Aim for consistency, even if it’s just a few minutes each day.
Yoga or yoga nidra
Yoga, in particular the slower and more restorative styles, has a unique ability to shift you into a more helpful parasympathetic state. That's’ because this type of yoga elicits what's known as the relaxation response. Again, your heart rate slows, and you tend to breathe down into your belly instead of your upper chest. You usually also feel sleepy and peaceful.
Yoga nidra in particular is incredibly effective at allowing your body (and mind) to find a deep state of rest, which studies have shown can have profound effects on chronic pain, and the associated anxiety and insomnia which may accompany it.
Breathing practices
If you struggle to find time for formal yoga or meditation practices, then simply incorporating a few short breathing exercises into your day may help to increase the amount of time you spend in rest and relaxation.
This is because your breathing affects your heart rate, and can influence your vagus nerve - the amazing wandering nerve which connects your gut to your brain and serves key regulatory roles within your nervous system.
You could try equal length breathing - so inhaling and exhaling for a count of 4-6, or 4-7-8 breathing where you inhale for 4, hold for 7 and exhale for 8. You can practice these anywhere, anytime as a quick reset for your nervous system.
Some people also find that therapy can help them to improve the way they deal with stressors in life, which in turn can reduce their chronic pain. This might involve talking therapy, CBT or other types of therapeutic relationships.
Coaching and integration
Fortunately some providers are recognizing the need for an integrated approach that combines all of this with coaching. The result is improved ability to regulate the nervous system which generally lessens pain and improves emotional well-being. One such course can be found here.
The bottom line
If you are struggling with chronic pain it can be easy to feel trapped and alone. But take comfort in the fact there’s lots you can do to help regulate your nervous system, which combined with a healthy diet, mindful movement, and deep rest, may help you to handle your pain in a healthier way.
References
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