Understanding Pain Relief Through Nervous System Regulation
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This podcast is for educational purposes only. The views expressed do not constitute medical advice and are general in nature. You should obtain specific advice from a qualified health professional before acting on any information within this podcast.
When it comes to persistent pain, many people are told they just have to live with it. But as Jessica Maguire explains in her insightful conversation on the Pain Coach podcast, this narrative is changing. Emerging research into neuroplasticity, and more broadly, “bioplasticity,” shows that our brains and bodies have an incredible ability to adapt, recover, and heal. This evolving understanding offers a hopeful new pathway to pain relief.
Jessica, a physiotherapist and TEDx speaker, emphasizes the critical role of the autonomic nervous system in chronic pain. A dysregulated nervous system can trigger overprotective responses in the body, which can heighten pain sensitivity, disrupt sleep, impair digestion, and impact mood. Pain, she explains, is the alarm bell of a body stuck in defense mode. But this state isn’t permanent. Our nervous systems are malleable.
Key to this new model of pain relief is identifying which nervous system state a person is in, whether it’s hyperarousal (fight or flight) or hypoarousal (freeze or collapse). From there, tailored interventions like movement, breathwork, or social connection can help restore balance. It’s not one size fits all. For example, calming breathwork might help someone stuck in a fight state, but it could worsen symptoms for someone feeling collapsed or shut down.
Jessica also links pain to lifestyle pillars like sleep, nutrition, movement, emotional wellbeing, and especially social connection. Chronic pain can feel incredibly isolating, but cultivating community and meaningful relationships is foundational to healing. Even small steps, like joining a group walk or reconnecting with a friend, can reinforce safety and regulation in the nervous system.
Perhaps the most empowering takeaway? Pain relief is possible. By understanding our internal states and adopting body-first approaches, we can move out of suffering and into healing. As Jessica puts it, the nervous system is not fixed. It’s changeable, adaptable, and ultimately, capable of recovery.
If you’ve been battling persistent pain, this episode offers not just insight, but real hope.
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