Living with chronic pain can feel like an endless battle, one that drains your energy and limits your ability to enjoy life to its fullest. But could understanding and addressing unresolved trauma be the key to managing chronic pain and improving your overall health? The connection between emotional healing and physical well-being is one that has transformed lives, and it might just transform yours, too.
At HealthspanMD, we specialize in longevity care, helping individuals uncover the root causes of their health challenges and empowering them with personalized solutions that promote lasting wellness. Our expert team integrates evidence-based practices to address chronic pain and its underlying contributors, such as trauma, so you can take charge of your health and live pain-free with confidence. Schedule a call today and discover how we can partner with you on your health and longevity journey.
In a recent episode of the HealthspanMD Podcast, Dr. Robert Todd Hurst sat down with Pamela Brooks, LCSW, to discuss the connection between trauma and chronic pain.
Understanding the Link Between Trauma & Chronic Pain
For many people living with chronic pain, the source of their suffering goes beyond physical injuries or medical conditions—it’s rooted in unresolved trauma. Research has shown that traumatic experiences can have a profound and lasting impact on the body, leading to persistent pain syndromes that traditional medical treatments often fail to resolve.
Pamela Brooks, a dedicated therapist who is passionate about guiding people through difficult life transitions, cites psychiatrist, author, researcher, and educator Bessel van der Kolk when explaining this connection: “Trauma doesn’t only impact what we think, but our very capacity to think. It also gets stuck in the body. It is the cause of so much pain and underlying illness [...] And if you don't get help, then it stays with you.'
This means that trauma not only affects mental health but can also contribute to chronic pain conditions, autoimmune disorders, and other physical ailments. And yet, many individuals with chronic pain may not realize the role that unresolved trauma is playing in their physical symptoms.
How Trauma Manifests as Pain
When someone experiences a traumatic event, their nervous system enters a heightened state of alertness, often referred to as the “fight, flight, or freeze” response. If the trauma is not properly processed, the body remains in this state, leading to chronic stress, muscle tension, and inflammation. Over time, this creates a breeding ground for persistent pain conditions.
Common conditions linked to unresolved trauma include:
- Chronic Muscle Tension & Fibromyalgia: Trauma can lead to a state of hypervigilance, causing tight muscles, joint stiffness, and widespread pain.
- Autoimmune Disorders: Chronic stress from trauma weakens the immune system, increasing the risk of conditions like rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, and multiple sclerosis.
- Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) & Other Digestive Disorders: The gut and brain are closely connected, meaning unresolved trauma can disrupt digestion and trigger conditions like IBS.
- Migraines & Headaches: Many trauma survivors experience chronic headaches due to ongoing stress, muscle tension, and nervous system dysregulation.
- Unexplained Pain Syndromes: Many individuals undergo medical tests that come back normal, yet they continue to suffer from chronic pain without a clear physical cause.
Stress Hormones & the Pain Cycle
When trauma remains unresolved, the body continuously produces high levels of stress hormones such as cortisol and adrenaline. These hormones can:
- Increase inflammation, worsening conditions like arthritis and muscle pain.
- Disrupt sleep, leading to increased sensitivity to pain.
- Heighten pain perception, making even mild discomfort feel overwhelming.
Dr. Robert Hurst highlights this issue: “Chronic pain is something that is so, so common in my practice [...] and medicine has done a terrible job of treating chronic pain.' He continued, 'I can only imagine that the underlying driver of a lot of that chronic pain may be the past trauma.'
This cycle of trauma, stress, and pain can become a self-perpetuating loop, where pain reinforces emotional distress, and emotional distress amplifies pain.
Effective Therapies for Managing Chronic Pain Through Trauma Recovery
Traditional medicine often focuses on managing chronic pain with medications, injections, or surgeries, but for many people, these treatments fail to provide long-term relief. The good news is that evidence-based trauma therapies can help regulate the nervous system, reduce pain perception, and improve overall well-being.
Here are some of the most effective therapies for healing trauma and managing chronic pain:
Prolonged Exposure Therapy (PE)
Many trauma survivors unknowingly avoid situations, memories, or emotions associated with their trauma, which keeps their nervous system trapped in a chronic stress response. Prolonged exposure therapy helps individuals safely confront their trauma in a controlled, therapeutic environment, reducing fear and emotional distress over time.
Here's how it works:
- Patients retell and record their trauma story repeatedly in therapy.
- They listen to the recording daily to reduce distress and desensitize their brain’s response to the traumatic memory.
- They gradually reintroduce activities or situations they’ve been avoiding due to trauma-related fear.
Brooks shares a powerful example: “I worked with this girl—a college student. She was assaulted and sexually harassed for a long period of time. She stopped going out with her friends. A college girl who was always a straight-A student started to fail.'
'By the time we finished, she was able to go out to dinner with her friends in a popular, trendy area again. Right now, I'm so proud to say she's actually studying abroad.'
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
Cognitive behavioral therapy is one of the most widely used psychological treatments for trauma recovery. It focuses on identifying and restructuring negative thought patterns that amplify pain and emotional suffering.
Here's how it works:
- Helps individuals reframe catastrophic thoughts about pain and trauma.
- Teaches coping strategies to manage stress, fear, and anxiety.
- Encourages small, manageable behavior changes to improve daily function.
'From a cognitive behavioral aspect, there's so much that a therapist is able to do that maybe a traditional doctor wasn't trained in,' Brooks explains. 'Maybe it was a chronic pain that led to the mental health issues; maybe it was the other way around. But in the end, maybe it doesn't matter as much because the mental health issues still need to be addressed.'
Mindfulness & Relaxation Techniques
Chronic pain and trauma keep the nervous system in a state of hypervigilance, making it difficult for the body to relax and heal. Mindfulness-based therapies, trauma-informed yoga, and relaxation techniques help shift the nervous system into a parasympathetic (healing) state.
Here's how it works:
- Mindfulness teaches individuals to observe their pain without judgment, reducing emotional suffering.
- Deep breathing and progressive muscle relaxation help regulate the body’s stress response.
- Trauma-informed yoga gently restores body awareness and reduces muscle tension.
Brooks incorporates these techniques into her practice: “I’ve taken a course in trauma-informed yoga, and I utilize that with every single client, no matter what. We do different grounding exercises, we do relaxations, so they have these like on speed dial, so to speak.'
Combining Mental & Physical Health Treatment
For individuals with chronic pain, a multi-disciplinary approach that integrates mental health care with medical treatment is often the most effective strategy.
Here's how it works:
- Physicians rule out serious medical conditions and provide evidence-based pain management strategies.
- Therapists address trauma, emotional distress, and maladaptive coping mechanisms.
- Health coaches or physical therapists help with movement, lifestyle changes, and overall wellness.
By addressing both mental and physical health, individuals can achieve a more comprehensive and lasting recovery from chronic pain. While trauma may be at the root of their pain, it doesn't have to define or control their life. With the right support and treatment, individuals can find relief and reclaim their overall well-being.
The Longevity Benefits of Trauma Recovery
Healing from trauma isn’t just about feeling better—it directly impacts longevity. Chronic stress and unresolved trauma are associated with higher rates of cardiovascular disease, metabolic disorders, and depression, all of which shorten lifespan.
Healing trauma supports a longer, healthier life by:
- Reducing Cardiovascular Risk: Chronic stress is a major contributor to high blood pressure, heart disease, and stroke. Healing trauma helps regulate blood pressure and improves heart health.
- Enhancing Immune Function: When trauma is resolved, the body shifts from a state of chronic inflammation to one of balance and repair.
- Improving Metabolic Health: Healing trauma helps regulate stress hormones, reducing weight gain and insulin resistance.
- Supporting Cognitive Function: Chronic stress accelerates brain aging and memory decline. By managing trauma, individuals can protect brain health and reduce dementia risk.
- Boosting Emotional Resilience: People who process their trauma develop greater emotional strength, better coping mechanisms, and an overall improved outlook on life.
By addressing trauma at its core, individuals not only find relief from chronic pain but also enhance their overall health and longevity.
Take the First Step Toward Longevity
Addressing unresolved trauma is a critical step toward achieving better physical, cognitive, and emotional health. By prioritizing healing, you can unlock a healthier, more vibrant life.
At HealthspanMD, we specialize in longevity care that empowers you to overcome barriers to wellness and live your best life. Schedule a call with us today to explore how our personalized approach can support your healing journey and improve your overall health.
