top of page
Search

Is Chiropractic Neurology the Secret to Finally Beating Chronic Pain?

  • Writer: Dr. Cristina Taglienti
    Dr. Cristina Taglienti
  • Apr 29
  • 5 min read

They Say My Pain is All in My Head – But What If the Brain is the Real Culprit, and True Healing Begins by Addressing the Root?

Exploring Central Pain and Relief: Chiropractic Neurology Approaches to Pain Management.
Exploring Central Pain and Relief: Chiropractic Neurology Approaches to Pain Management.

Unraveling the Mystery of Chronic Pain

Chronic pain is when pain lasts for weeks, months, or even years, even though there may not be a clear cause. Unlike short-term pain from an injury, chronic pain can persist even after the body has healed. The brain plays a big part in this – it can become overly sensitive and start to feel pain even when there’s no injury. This is called central sensitization, where the brain itself becomes the source of the pain. Essentially, the brain either misinterprets normal sensations as pain or amplifies the perception of that pain, so addressing this is key to managing or even stopping chronic pain.


Understanding Central Sensitization

Central sensitization is a condition where the central nervous system (the brain and spinal cord) becomes overly sensitive to pain signals. This heightened sensitivity causes the brain to either misinterpret normal sensations as pain (allodynia) or increase the intensity of pain (hyperalgesia). It occurs when pain signals are continuously sent to the brain, making the nerves in the spinal cord more sensitive and causing the brain to "remember" the pain, leading to stronger responses. Over time, the nervous system "learns" to treat even mild sensations as pain, lowering the pain threshold. As a result, everyday sensations, like a light touch, can feel painful, and existing pain becomes much more intense than it would normally be. This creates a cycle where pain remains amplified, even after the original injury has healed. For example, a person with central sensitization might experience severe pain when their clothes brush against their skin or when a gentle breeze touches their body, even though these sensations wouldn't cause pain for most people.


Common Conditions Stemming from Central Sensitization

Some well-known conditions linked to central sensitization include:

  1. Fibromyalgia: This condition is characterized by widespread pain throughout the body, along with fatigue and sleep disturbances. Central sensitization plays a key role, as the brain and spinal cord become more responsive to pain signals, leading to constant, widespread discomfort.

  2. Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS): In IBS, people often experience abdominal pain, bloating, and changes in bowel habits. Central sensitization can cause the brain to misinterpret sensations in the gut as painful, leading to the discomfort that characterizes IBS.

  3. Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS): This condition typically develops after an injury, but the pain becomes much more severe and long-lasting than expected. In CRPS, central sensitization causes the brain to perceive pain even after the injury has healed, leading to intense, often burning pain, swelling, and sensitivity in the affected limb.

  4. Migraines: Migraines are severe headaches often accompanied by nausea, light sensitivity, and visual disturbances. Central sensitization can make the brain more sensitive to stimuli like light, sound, or certain smells, triggering more frequent and intense migraine attacks.

  5. Frozen Shoulder: Also known as adhesive capsulitis, causes pain, stiffness, and limited range of motion in the shoulder joint. While structural adhesions and scar tissue may be present within the joint, the brain’s perception of the shoulder also plays a significant role. This altered perception can amplify the pain and further restrict movement, beyond what is caused by the structural damage alone.

  6. Trigeminal Neuralgia: Trigeminal Neuralgia occurs when the blood vessels around the Trigeminal nerve become irritated and compressed, which can lead to incorrect pain processing in the brain and reduced blood flow. This can make even light touch feel extremely painful. By addressing the compression with muscle and tissue work, along with brain training, we can help restore the brain’s proper pain processing.


These conditions highlight how central sensitization can affect various parts of the body, causing chronic pain and discomfort by altering the way the brain processes pain signals. Understanding this connection can help in finding better treatment approaches that address the root cause, rather than just the symptoms.


How Chiropractic Neurology Addresses Central Sensitization

Chiropractic neurology addresses central sensitization by focusing on the nervous system’s role in pain processing and perception. Chiropractic neurology works by encouraging the brain to rewire itself in a healthier way through targeted therapies, spinal adjustments, and exercises that promote normal pain processing.


  • Vestibular Rehabilitation: This therapy helps recalibrate the brain’s response to balance and spatial awareness, which can be disrupted in those with chronic pain. By restoring proper sensory input, it reduces the hypersensitivity of the nervous system and helps decrease pain perception.

  • Eye Movement Exercises: These exercises target the brain’s visual processing system, which can be involved in pain modulation. By improving how the brain processes visual stimuli, these exercises help desensitize the nervous system and reduce pain-related responses.

  • Sensory Integration: This therapy uses specialized techniques to help retrain the brain to process and interpret sensory information more effectively. For instance, if you experience sound sensitivity, there are treatments designed to help your brain better integrate and understand sound input from your environment. By normalizing these sensory responses, sensory integration helps reduce the heightened pain reactions often seen in central sensitization.

  • Myofascial Therapy: Myofascial therapy and massage can help reduce long-term pain by breaking up scar tissue that causes stiffness and discomfort. This allows your body to move more freely, improves posture and movement patterns, and takes pressure off joints and nerves. These treatments also boost blood flow and help nerves work better, which supports healing and helps the body feel and function better overall.


By targeting areas of dysfunction in the nervous system, chiropractic neurology helps to reset the brain's pain processing mechanisms.


Break Free from Central Pain: Take the First Step with Chiropractic Neurology

Central sensitization causes the nervous system to become overly sensitive, leading to chronic pain and heightened pain perception. This ongoing discomfort can significantly impact quality of life. Chiropractic neurology offers an effective solution by recalibrating the nervous system using techniques such as vestibular rehabilitation, eye movement exercises, sensory integration, and myofascial therapy—all of which work together to reduce pain and restore proper function. If you're struggling with chronic pain, exploring chiropractic neurology could be a key step toward relief and improved well-being.


References

 
 
 

1 Comment

conpetcan
6 days ago

This makes a lot of sense! I think we all tend to focus on the pain itself and not the root cause or how our brain is playing a central role in what we think we feel. Thank you for sharing this valuable information for those of us who fight a daily battle with chronic pain.

Like

Achieve Optimal Health Today

  • Instagram
  • Youtube
  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn

If you have any questions or would like to have us contact you, please click here to send us a message or call us at 404.671.8499 to speak with a healthcare specialist at BBRS today.

bottom of page