Some pain pathways pass through the amygdala, which helps create our emotional reaction to pain.

with a prescription from a doctor or a surgical procedure. We must actively retrain our nervous system to release subconsciously held muscle tension and change painful posture and movement patterns.

it’s important to understand that the more often your nociceptors are stimulated, the more sensitization is likely to occur. So, running on an already injured and painful knee will not only damage the joint further, but may also increase the amount of pain you feel in the future.

When we perceive stress, a series of hormones released in the brain triggers the adrenal gland to secrete hormones called glucocorticoids. These bind to glucocorticoid receptors, which are present in almost every cell in the body. They suppress the immune response so that all of the body’s energy can be used to fight the stressor.

there were still 57 opioid prescriptions written for every 100 Americans in 2017.

The emotional parts of our brain, including the anterior cingulate cortex, the insular cortex, and the amygdala, are responsible for the unpleasantness that comes with pain. The more those areas

Chronic, localized inflammation occurs most often as a result of poor body mechanics. If we constantly put unnatural or excessive strain on our knees, for example, we can easily damage cartilage, tendons, and ligaments. In its constant effort to protect us, our immune system will wage war against the damaged cells. The resulting inflammation is a c

the anticipation of pain, along with stress, anxiety, and depression, work together to prolong our pain and make it much worse.

Pain is our nervous system’s way of telling us that something is wrong. It often means that actual damage to the structure of our bodies is likely to occur soon. This type of pain is called nociceptive pain.