Modern imaging of the brain tells us that the longer you have been in chronic pain, the more likely your nervous system is contributing to, or is the cause of that pain.
Each symptom listed below has been linked to an overactive nervous system. The more symptoms you have experienced, the more likely your nervous system is contributing to your chronic pain. Please read through the symptoms listed below and tally how many have affected you.
Fibromyalgia | Tensions Headaches | Back Pain | Neck Pain | Whiplash | Knee Pain | Patellofemoral Syndrome | Temporomandibular joint (TMJ) Syndrome | Chronic Abdominal and Pelvic Pain Syndromes | Amplifies Musculoskeletal Pain Syndrome | Vulvodynia | Piriformis Syndrome | Repetitive Strain Injury (RSI) | Foot Pain Syndrome | Myofascial Pain Syndrome | Chronic Tendonitis (in any joint) | General Chronic Pain | Irritable Bowel Syndrome | Interstitial Cystitis (Irritable Bladder Syndrome) | Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS) | Inappropriate Sinus Tachycardia | Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy (Complex Regional Pain Syndrome) | Anxiety | Depression | Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder | Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder | Eating Disorders | Substance Use Disorders | Migraine Attacks | Insomnia | Chronic Fatigue Syndrome | Paresthesia's (Numbness, Tingling, Burning) | Tinnitus (Ringing in the Ears) | Dizziness | Eczema | Pseudo Seizures | Trigeminal Neuralgia | Globus Sensation | Burning Chest Pain (Resembles Acid Reflux) | Difficulty Breathing | Chronic Cough | Spastic Dysphonia | Chronic Hives | Hypersensitivity (to Touch, Sounds, Smells, Foods, Medications).
While the path into chronic pain is unique, people often fall into one of two broad categories.
Some have symptoms that simply can't be attributed to a definite cause and may have appeared "out of the blue".
Others may have had an initial accident, injury, or illness, which hasn't healed in an appropriate amount of time. Most physical injuries take 6 weeks or less to heal. If healing is taking longer than 6 weeks, it is a sign that an overactive nervous system is contributing to your chronic pain and interfering with the body's natural healing ability.
Symptoms that change location, or symptoms that are in multiple areas of your body can indicate an overactive nervous system is contributing to your chronic pain.
There are some personality traits that are consistently attributed to an overactive nervous system and the chronic pain it causes. Thankfully, these traits are not set in stone, and new skills can be learned to maximize the benefits of these traits and minimize their detrimental aspects.
Answering yes to the question below may indicate that anxiety is present in your life. Anxiety can contribute to an overactive nervous system, and an overactive nervous system can contribute to anxiety. Thankfully, treating an overactive nervous system can also decrease your experience of anxiety.
Answering yes to the question below may indicate that depression is present in your life. Depression can contribute to an overactive nervous system and an overactive nervous system can contribute to depression. Thankfully, treating an overactive nervous system can also decrease your experience of depression.
Stress can have a huge and direct impact on our nervous system and can be emotional, mental, physical, chemical, or environmental. The higher your stress level, the more likely an overactive nervous system is contributing to your chronic pain.
Events that are perceived as traumatic commonly cause a nervous system to become overactive.
Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) can be traumatic. This is sometimes obvious, and it is sometimes subtle. The things that happened to us when we were children can still affect us when we are adults, and ACEs can contribute heavily to an overactive nervous system.