Pain Reprocessing Therapy
Pain Reprocessing Therapy
What is Pain Reprocessing Therapy?
Pain Reprocessing Therapy (PRT) is a system of psychological techniques that retrains the brain to interpret and respond to signals from the body properly, subsequently breaking the cycle of chronic pain.
How is Pain Reprocessing Therapy different than other therapies commonly used for chronic pain?
Most therapies like cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), or mindfulness-based therapies are used to help people cope with chronic pain. Pain Reprocessing Therapy can significantly reduce or even eliminate pain altogether for some people. CBT, ACT, mindfulness, and/or other therapies may be incorporated into Pain Reprocessing Therapy, but the goal of PRT is to reduce or eliminate pain instead of simply learning to live and cope with the pain.
Am I a candidate for Pain Reprocessing Therapy?
This depends on many factors. A detailed screening and assessment of your pain will be done during your initial session. There are certain conditions that appear to respond well to PRT. These include, but are not limited to:
Low back pain
Fibromyalgia
TMS
Osteoarthritis
Migraine
Spinal pain
Fear of movement and pain sensitivity (example: fear of moving after a joint replacement surgery)
Does this mean my pain is all in my head?
If you’re asking whether your pain is “real” or if you’re “making it up” the answer is yes, your pain is real, and no, you are not making it up. All pain is real. Do you feel it? Then it’s real. End of story. If anyone has ever made you feel like your pain experience is invalid, that you’re faking it, you’re weak, you aren’t trying hard enough, or anything else along these lines, I’m sorry. As someone who has worked in the healthcare system for two decades, I can attest to the fact that there is often not as much empathy, validation, understanding, or effective treatment for those with chronic pain as there should be. Bottom line: If you feel pain, your pain is real.
Technically, everyone’s pain is in their head. Or more specifically, in the brain. Our brain receives signals from receptors in our body when we experience an injury. Our brain then decides how to interpret those signals (A lot of pain, very little pain, no pain, a pinch, an ache, pressure, etc). The problem is that sometimes our brains make mistakes. Brain circuits can form, they can get a little too sensitive and turn on or overreact when we don’t need them to. Think of an alarm system on your house. If the alarm system’s wiring is set to be on high alert or too sensitive it might get triggered when the wind blows or a bird flies by. We need to adjust the wiring and turn the dial down so the alarm system isn’t going off when no one is trying to break into our house! The good news is that our brain is capable of learning and rewiring. That’s where I come in. I’ll teach you about pain and the brain. We’ll work on the rewiring together. I’ll support you through the process, celebrating your wins and giving you a little push when you need it. As a team, you and I will work toward decreasing your pain and living the life you want.
Will you need to talk to my doctor?
Maybe. In most cases the detailed assessment in your initial session can help us figure out if your pain is due to an “alarm system” malfunction or a structural problem. For a few people this may not be entirely clear and with your permission we may require consultation with your physician, nurse practitioner, physiotherapist, etc.
Where can I learn more?
New Therapy Aims to Cure Backspin Without Drugs, Surgery