Pain Is Created in the Brain

Pain is not always a direct reflection of tissue damage – in fact, it’s your brain that decides whether you should feel pain or not. This process is called the “pain paradox.” Your brain can create pain even in the absence of injury, and conversely, may not produce pain even when there is damage. This occurs due to the brain’s neural plasticity, where it adapts based on what you focus on. If you're constantly focusing on pain, your brain may reinforce the sensation, making it worse.

For some people, pain continues even after the initial injury has healed, becoming chronic. Chiropractic care may help by adjusting spinal misalignments that influence brain function, particularly in the pre-frontal cortex, a region responsible for chronic pain. These adjustments can help "turn down" the pain perception in the brain, leading to natural relief. Chiropractors target spinal areas with restricted movement, even if those areas aren’t directly where the pain is felt.

Takeaway: Chiropractic care can potentially stop pain from becoming chronic by altering brain function. If you’re dealing with persistent pain, consider exploring chiropractic adjustments as a way to help reset your brain’s pain response.