3 Key Facts About Chronic Pain
Written by CCC Meg Perri, BHES
Did you know that 8 million people in Canada live in pain? For National Pain Awareness Week November 2-8 2026, we’re shining a light on chronic pain and the impact it can have on everyday life.
We’re also revisiting key highlights from a free webinar our physiotherapist Kaz Kikuchi hosted last year, sharing helpful insights into understanding and managing chronic pain.
Pain Does Not Always Mean Your Body Is Damaged
One of the most empowering lessons in pain science is that pain and tissue damage are not the same thing.
Pain is the body's protective response to perceived danger. Sometimes that danger reflects actual injury, and sometimes it reflects a nervous system that has become highly protective.
Understanding this distinction can help reduce fear and create opportunities for recovery.
Just because pain is present does not automatically mean further damage is occurring.
2. Thoughts, Emotions, and Experiences Affect Pain
Pain is not "all in your head," but your brain does play a critical role in how pain is experienced.
Persistent pain is influenced by a combination of:
Physical factors
Thoughts and beliefs
Emotional responses
Stress levels
Past experiences
Environmental factors
Many people with chronic pain become trapped in a cycle of fear and avoidance. They begin to worry that movement will cause harm, so they move less. This can increase sensitivity, reduce confidence, and contribute to ongoing pain.
Understanding these influences allows us to address more than just the physical tissues. It gives us more tools to help reduce pain and improve function.
3. You Can Retrain an Overprotective Pain System
Perhaps the most hopeful message in modern pain science is that the nervous system can change.
This concept is known as bioplasticity, which refers to the body's remarkable ability to adapt and reorganize itself in response to experience. While many people are familiar with neuroplasticity, bioplasticity extends beyond the brain to involve the body's broader protective systems.
For individuals living with persistent pain, this means that an overprotective pain system can learn to become less sensitive over time.
Approaches that may help include:
Pain education
Gradual movement and exercise
Improving sleep and stress management
Building confidence in the body
Pain Reprocessing Therapy
Cognitive Functional Therapy
A key shift is learning to respond to pain rather than automatically react to it.
Instead of assuming every painful sensation means damage, we can become curious:
What else may be influencing my pain today?
Am I stressed, tired, or worried?
Is my body responding to threat rather than injury?
How can I move in a way that feels safe and confident?
These questions help shift the nervous system away from protection and toward recovery. .
Final Thoughts
Chronic pain is complex, and it is influenced by much more than tissues, joints, or imaging findings. Pain is a protective experience created by the brain after evaluating information from the body, the environment, and our past experiences. Understanding that pain does not always equal damage, recognizing the role of thoughts and emotions, and appreciating the nervous system's ability to change can all be powerful steps toward recovery.
If you're living with ongoing pain, you don't have to navigate it alone. Kaz Kikuchi at MoveMed Physiotherapy in Kelowna BC has a special clinical interest in treating individuals with chronic or persistent pain. Through science-backed approaches and individualized care, he can help you better understand your pain and develop a plan to get back to the activities that matter most to you.
Want to learn more about chronic pain? Watch the full webinar for practical insights from our physiotherapist, or book an in-person appointment with Kaz to get a personalized plan for managing your pain, and start moving forward with confidence
Blog Post Written by, Meghan P, BHES