Why Your Body Feels Different Now

If you have been experiencing persistent pain for a while, you have probably noticed that your body no longer feels or moves the way it once did. Walking may require more effort, simple household tasks may leave you tired, you may feel stiff when you start to move or find yourself avoiding certain movements because they seem likely to be painful or worsen your pain.

These common experiences are not signs that your body is failing. They are part of the pain-experience. Understanding why these changes occur helps explain why movement can feel difficult, and why carefully rebuilding and restoring normal patterns of movement can be one of the most effective ways to support recovery.

The nervous system can become more sensitive

In some people, persistent nociception changes the way the nervous system processes other information. Instead of responding only to noxious stimuli, it can become more sensitive, reacting to stimuli that are not noxious. This process is called central sensitisation of nociception, and it explains why:

• pain can seem to be out of proportion to the severity of an injury or disease

• pain may spread beyond its original location

• light touch or pressure may become uncomfortable

• stressful life circumstances or poor sleep may trigger flare-ups

This change can feel worrying, but it is a known response of the nervous system, and, importantly, this sensitisation can change over time.

Stress response systems can stay active

Persistent nociception can be accompanied by activation of the body’s systems of stress response. Over time this activation can contribute to poorer sleep, lower energy, increased sensitivity to stimuli, changes in mood, and fatigue. This is one reason why restoring your sleep pattern, learning skills for relaxation and stress management can play such an important role in pain management.

Your body can lose condition

When movements become painful, most people naturally become less active. Over time, this can lead to reduced muscle strength, decreased general fitness, stiffer joints, reduced flexibility and lower confidence in movement. This is known as deconditioning, and, encouragingly, it is one of the most reversible aspects of persistent pain-experiences.

Movement can change

People experiencing pain move differently from before, often without realising it. Examples include limping, bracing the muscles, avoiding putting weight on one side of the body, moving more slowly, or protecting the painful area. These changes may be helpful in the short term because they have been adopted to relieve current pain and to avoid provoking more pain. However, if continued, they can place extra strain on other parts of the body and reinforce the person’s fear that movement may cause more tissue damage.

Recovery is possible

Gradually restoring movement patterns, regaining strength and developing confidence that damage is not being worsened can restore physical capacity and increase participation in everyday life. Recovery is rarely about making one dramatic change. It is usually the result of many small improvements building up over time.

KEY TAKEAWAY

Persistent pain is a whole-person experience. The nervous system can behave differently, and persistent activation of stress response systems can affect sleep, energy, concentration and mood.

Deconditioning and changed movement patterns are common, and they can usually be reversed through a graduated rehabilitation program.