Neuroplastic Pain: Understanding the Mind-Body Connection

If you’ve been living with chronic pain, you’ve probably asked yourself: “Is neuroplastic pain real?” The short answer is yes, it’s very real. Neuroplastic pain is not “all in your head.” It’s pain generated by changes in the way the nervous system and brain process signals.

The beauty of neuroplasticity, the brain’s ability to change, is that just as your brain can learn pain, you can also unlearn your pain. That’s where hope lies.

In this article, we’ll explore:

• What neuroplastic pain is (in plain language)

• How it develops in the brain and nervous system

• The FIT criteria and the Five F’s that help identify it

• Common triggers and patterns of neuroplastic pain

• How personality traits, defenses, and avoidance play a role

• The possibilities of neuroplasticity for chronic pain and healing

What Is Neuroplastic Pain?

Neuroplastic pain happens when the brain misinterprets safe signals as dangerous and produces pain as a protective response. It’s sometimes called mind-body pain or TMS (tension myoneural syndrome).

Your brain’s job is to keep you safe. When it senses danger, whether physical, emotional, or social, it can generate pain to slow you down and protect you. Over time, your brain “learns” this pattern and continues sending pain signals even when your body is physically fine.

This is why someone may feel:

• Sudden sharp pain in lower back when bending over without any injury

• Migrating, fluctuating pain that doesn’t match a structural problem

• Many different symptoms that come and go, but don't make sense when you try to explain them medically.

Is Neuroplastic Pain Real?

Yes. Just because pain comes from the nervous system doesn’t mean it’s imaginary. Brain imaging studies show real changes in the way the brain processes pain in people with chronic symptoms.

The difference is this: structural pain comes from tissue damage; neuroplastic pain comes from a hypersensitive nervous system. Both hurt the same, but the path to recovery is different.

The FIT Criteria: How to Recognize Neuroplastic Pain

Physician and pain researcher Howard Schubiner created the FIT criteria to help identify neuroplastic pain.

1. Functional

Pain doesn’t match structural findings.

• Symptoms start without injury.

• Pain lasts longer than the normal healing window (3–6 months).

• Pain may be symmetrical, shift sides, spread, or show up in multiple body parts.

• Pain quality may be tingling, burning, electric, hot, or cold.

(Example: You have lower back pain when coughing, but your MRI is normal.)

2. Inconsistent

Pain patterns don’t follow typical injury rules.

• Pain shifts locations or intensity depending on the day.

• Pain gets worse after activity, not during.

• Pain improves with distraction, vacation, or massage.

• Pain increases with stress or even when you think about it.

(Example: You hurt your knee in college, but 20 years later, it still flares up for no reason.)

3. Triggered

Pain is set off by harmless cues.

• Pain arises from bending, sneezing, sitting, or standing (when we look at what the body is made to do, these are normal, safe movements.)

• Pain is triggered by foods, smells, sounds, or weather changes.

• Pain shows up in anticipation of stress or even when imagining an activity.

• Pain can be set off by light touch, clothing, or wind.

(Example: You get a migraine every time you look at a screen.)

The Five F’s of Neuroplastic Pain

Alongside the FIT criteria, the Five F’s describe the emotional and behavioral loops that keep pain alive:

1. Focusing – Constantly scanning for pain or triggers.

2. Fighting – Pushing through pain and ignoring body cues.

3. Fixing – Chasing endless treatments and Googling cures.

4. Fearing – Avoiding movements or activities out of fear they’ll make pain worse.

5. Frustrated – Feeling angry, hopeless, or defeated by pain.

Recognizing these patterns is the first step toward changing them.

Possible Triggers of Neuroplastic Pain

Neuroplastic pain often begins or worsens during stressful life events. Consider:

• Accidents or exposures: A fall, work accident, or exposure to chemicals

• Violence or trauma: Physical attack, robbery, or sexual assault

• Stressful relationships: Bullying, harassment, divorce, or family conflict

• Losses: Death or serious illness of a loved one, job loss, or retirement

• Financial/legal stress: Bankruptcy, lawsuits, or arrest

If your symptoms began during or after a stressful time, your nervous system may have gone into overdrive, creating pain as protection.

Childhood Stressors

Early life experiences shape how our nervous system handles stress and pain. Common childhood stressors include:

• Emotional abuse (insults, humiliation, lack of support)

• Physical or sexual abuse

• Neglect, hunger, or lack of safety

• Losing a parent to divorce, abandonment, or death

• Witnessing domestic violence

• Living with addiction, mental illness, or incarceration in the household

These experiences can leave the nervous system on high alert, making you more vulnerable to neuroplastic pain as an adult.

Personality Traits That Contribute to Pain

Many people with neuroplastic pain share certain personality traits, such as:

• Perfectionism

• People-pleasing

• High self-expectations

• Low self-esteem

• Difficulty expressing anger

• Harboring guilt, resentment, or self-criticism

• Being overly responsible

• Avoiding conflict

These traits don’t cause pain, but they keep your brain on high alert, which increases neuroplastic pain.

Defensive Actions & Defenses of the Mind

When we avoid or suppress emotions, the body may create pain as a distraction. Common defenses include:

• Behavioral defenses: changing the topic, withdrawing, cleaning, exercising, joking, overworking, or eating to numb feelings.

• Cognitive defenses: minimizing, rationalizing, daydreaming, reassuring yourself, or blocking out memories.

Your nervous system holds onto the emotions you don’t allow yourself to feel. Pain can become the outlet.

Avoidance

Avoidance keeps the pain cycle going. You may avoid:

• People – family members, coworkers, or neighbors who trigger tension

• Places – accident sites, hospitals, or cemeteries

• Objects – photos, medical reminders, or personal belongings

• Actions – speaking up, being intimate, or even making eye contact

• Emotions – anger, sadness, love, joy

• Sensations – racing heart, stomach upset, muscle tension

Avoidance teaches your brain that these triggers are dangerous; it continues producing pain to protect you.

Neuroplasticity and Pain Management

The hopeful side of this story is neuroplasticity. Just as your brain can learn pain, it can unlearn it. With the right strategies, you can rewire your nervous system toward safety.

Approaches to neuroplastic pain therapy and treatment include:

• Pain Reprocessing Therapy (PRT)

• Somatic experiencing and mind-body techniques

• Emotional awareness and expression therapy (EAET)

• Mindfulness, meditation, and breathing practices

• Gradual exposure to feared movements (safely retraining the brain)

If you’ve ever Googled “neuroplastic pain treatment near me” or “neuroplastic pain therapy,” know that these approaches are growing and becoming more accessible worldwide.

Neuroplasticity for Chronic Pain: The Path to Healing

Healing doesn’t mean forcing yourself to “think positive.” It means teaching your brain and body that they are safe. Over time, you can break the pain-stress cycle and reclaim your life.

The steps often include:

1. Education – Understanding neuroplastic pain takes away fear.

2. Awareness – Recognizing your patterns (FIT, Five F’s, triggers, avoidance).

3. Feeling – Allowing emotions you’ve suppressed to surface safely.

4. Reframing – Reminding yourself: “My pain is real, but it is not dangerous.”

5. Rewiring – Gradually retraining the nervous system to respond with safety instead of pain.

Your pain is real, but it can be healed

Neuroplastic pain is real. It’s a mind-body process where the nervous system misfires, creating pain without injury. The FIT criteria, the Five F’s, and an honest look at your life stressors, personality traits, and defenses can reveal whether your pain fits this pattern.

The best part? Because neuroplastic pain is learned, it can also be unlearned. Through education, somatic practices, and emotional healing, you can use neuroplasticity for chronic pain relief and recovery.

Your brain has the power to change.