Breaking free from pain:
Pain. It’s something that drains your energy, steals your joy, and costs you time and money. I want to share a story with you—one that may sound familiar. It’s about Annette and her battle with chronic back pain.
Annette’s struggle
Annette is 52 years old, a dedicated office manager and a mother of four. She’s a perfectionist who strives to give her best to both her work and family. But for years, she has been suffering from persistent back pain.
Determined to find relief, she requested an Occupational Health Check at work. They provided her with an ergonomic chair and a new desk setup, but the pain remained.
As time passed, Annette became increasingly worried about the damage to her body.
Eventually, she visited her GP, who sympathized with her struggles but pointed out that her weight, inactivity (lack of exercise) and her sedentary role might be exacerbating her pain. He referred her for an MRI scan and placed her on a waiting list for physiotherapy. In the meantime, he prescribed painkillers.
When the MRI results came back, they showed degenerative discs, early arthritis, and a herniated disc—commonly known as a slipped disc. The specialist suggested that back fusion surgery might be in her future. Annette was both worried and relieved; at least now she knew what was causing her pain.
A cycle of treatments with no relief
Hoping for guidance, Annette began physiotherapy. Her physiotherapist provided exercises, warned her about poor posture, and advised her to be cautious when bending over or sleeping in the wrong position. She was also told that her pelvis was tilted and out of alignment. As a solution, he recommended Pilates to strengthen her core and back muscles.
For months, Annette diligently followed the plan—she did her prescribed exercises, changed her sleeping posture, and even invested in a new mattress. But despite all her efforts, her pain persisted. Frustrated and exhausted, she began to doubt whether Pilates was helping or making things worse. Eventually, she gave up and resigned herself to the belief that she would have to live with this pain for the rest of her life.
The idea of surgery loomed over her, and she feared that her condition would only worsen over time. She felt helpless.
A new perspective
One evening, while scrolling through Facebook, Annette came across a post about Neuroplastic Pain. The idea that she could relieve her pain without medication, special exercises, or surgery intrigued her—but it also went against everything she had been told. Sceptical but curious, she decided to explore further – what did she have to lose.
I explained to her that all pain originates in the brain.
Our brain processes millions of messages every second, most of which are subconscious. When we experience pain, the brain decides how to interpret those signals based on past experiences, emotions, and fears. If the brain perceives a threat—whether real or imagined—it triggers the fight-or-flight response, which can amplify pain signals and make them feel even more intense.
In Annette’s case she was told by the GP that she was overweight which she took as a criticism. That criticism stuck with her and so every thought about her weight after that, was a negative one. The same applied to her lack of exercise, challenges at work, guilt around not being fully present for her family and the fears about surgery. Each thought activated her Sympathetic Nervous System—the fight-or-flight response. This cycle repeated itself, reinforcing her pain and making it feel like a permanent part of her life.
Breaking the pain cycle
Pain, like any habit, becomes ingrained when repeated over and over. Annette had unknowingly trained her brain to expect pain. The more she focused on her discomfort, her posture and the fear of surgery, the more her brain reinforced the pain signals.
To heal, she needed to change the message her brain was receiving.
I told Annette: “Nothing is wrong with you. Your MRI scan shows normal signs of aging—something that everyone has, yet not everyone experiences pain. Your pain is real, but it is not physical damage—it is your brain responding to fear.”
After our initial consultation, Annette joined my pain programme. This was a turning point for her. Instead of fearing her pain, I helped Annette to learn how to reframe her thoughts. Instead of saying: “My back is weak, I need to protect it,” she began telling herself: “My back is strong and capable.”
Instead of dreading movement, she started embracing it without fear.
Instead of worrying about surgery, she reminded herself: “I am safe. My body knows how to heal.”
With time, patience, and a shift in mindset, Annette’s pain began to fade. She reclaimed her life—not through surgery, medication, or endless exercises, but by reprogramming her brain’s response to pain.
The power of Neuroplasticity
Neuroplastic Pain Treatment is about changing the message. The brain can only focus on one thing at a time. If you tell it that you are perfect and safe, it eliminates thoughts of damage, failure, and fear.
Your past traumas, worries, and stresses are not your fault—but you do have the power to free yourself from them. The key is learning to love and trust your body again.
Like Annette, you don’t have to live in pain. All you need to do is take the first step: shift the way you think about pain, and your brain will follow. Your body is strong. You are safe. And healing is possible.
Book in for a free consultation with me to find out more
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