Understanding the Nervous System’s Role in Chronic Pain

By Hannah Friedman | July 11, 2025

If you live with chronic pain, you’ve probably noticed that it’s not just a sore back or achy joints. Pain can feel all encompassing. That’s because your nervous system plays such a major role in chronic pain. This article will explore how chronic pain and the nervous system are interconnected. We’ll discuss strategies for calming the nervous system that can help ease an overactive pain response. 

two hoops of embroidery art depicting brains

Your Nervous System and Pain: What’s the Connection?

Your nervous system is like your body’s electrical wiring. It’s made up of your brain, spinal cord, and all the nerves running throughout your body. When something is injured, your nerves send danger signals to your brain. The brain then decides how much pain to produce to protect you so you will react accordingly. 

For example, holding a scalding hot mug would cause cell damage via a burn; so, the brain sends pain signals to your hand so you move it away quickly. When you have a longer-lasting injury, like a sprained ankle, the pain communicates for you to step gently, avoiding further damage. 

That’s a healthy, helpful system, but it can get stuck on high alert. In chronic pain, even after an injury has healed, your nervous system can stay overly sensitive. It may start responding to normal movement, touch, or even stress as if they’re threats. 

This is called central sensitization: a common issue in many chronic pain conditions, including fibromyalgia, arthritis, and low back pain.

Woman experiencing neck pain while looking at her laptop.

 

Why Calming the Nervous System Matters

When your nervous system is in “fight or flight” mode all the time, it keeps your body tense, tired, and more sensitive to pain. Learning to soothe your nervous system can reduce the intensity of pain signals, improve sleep, and help you feel more in control.

Simple Strategies to Soothe Your Nervous System

There are many science-backed ways to help your nervous system settle. Here are a few to try:

  • Deep breathing and meditation – These activate the “rest and digest” side of your nervous system: the parasympathetic nervous system. Just a few minutes a day can help.
  • Gentle movement – Activities like walking, stretching, or yoga can help retrain your brain that movement is safe.
  • Sleep hygiene – Good sleep gives your nervous system time to repair and reset.
  • Balanced nutrition – What you eat can impact inflammation and nervous system health. Learn more about the brain-gut axis here.
  • Cognitive strategies – Learning to shift negative thought patterns can reduce stress and ease the nervous system’s threat response.

A Mother With Her Daughters Sitting On Sofa meditating cross legged

Learn More with I-Engage Academy

At the I-Engage Academy, we offer free courses to help you better understand your body and build your self-management toolbox. Each course is designed for people living with chronic pain and includes videos, interactive lessons, and printable tools.

Explore topics like:

  • Managing Chronic Pain with Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
  • Supporting Your Mental Health
  • Sleep and Chronic Pain
  • Nutrition and Chronic Pain
  • And more is coming soon…

Sign up for a free I-Engage Academy membership to access our courses. 

References:

  1. Woolf, C. J. (2011). Central sensitization: Implications for the diagnosis and treatment of pain. Pain, 152(3), S2–S15. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pain.2010.09.030
  2. Zeidan, F., et al. (2016). Mindfulness meditation-based pain relief is not mediated by endogenous opioids. The Journal of Neuroscience, 36(11), 3391–3397. https://doi.org/10.1523/JNEUROSCI.4328-15.2016
  3. Ehde, D. M., Dillworth, T. M., & Turner, J. A. (2014). Cognitive-behavioral therapy for individuals with chronic pain: Efficacy, innovations, and directions for research. American Psychologist, 69(2), 153–166. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0035747
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