Chronic Pain Isn’t Broken Tissue It’s an Overprotective Nervous System
- Raya M
- Dec 18, 2025
- 4 min read
Why does your pain linger when your MRI looks normal?
For years, I chased every possible fix like diets, scans, medications, physical therapy, acupuncture, supplements I can’t pronounce, convinced something was broken in my body.
That’s what we’re taught to believe: if it hurts, it must be damaged.
I still believe there could be underlying issues like inflammation or structural changes that haven’t been found yet, but what I’ve come to understand is this: Chronic pain often isn’t a sign of damage, it’s a nervous system that’s doing too much, not too little.
If you’ve been living with chronic pain, you’ve probably tried everything too.
Diets. Supplements. Physical therapy. Imaging. Labs. Specialists. More labs.
And yet, the pain persists, or returns, often without a clear explanation.
You don’t “turn off” chronic pain.You teach the nervous system that it’s safe again.
That shift from “fixing damage” to “retraining protection” explains why so many treatments fail and why some unexpected ones finally begin to help.
Part 1: Why Nervous System Retraining Is the Foundation of Chronic Pain Relief
Here’s the core principle that changed everything for me:
An overactive nervous system doesn’t mean your pain is imagined. It means your brain is doing too good of a job trying to protect you like a security system that starts screaming every time the wind blows.
In this context, pain is no longer a reliable sign of tissue damage. It’s a signal coming from a learned pattern of protection that can be unlearned not by force, but through consistent signals of safety.
These signals can be:
Physical: gentle movement, walking, light stretching
Chemical: nutrition, blood sugar regulation
Psychological: how we interpret and respond to symptoms
What nervous system retraining looks like in real life:
Predictable routines (your nervous system thrives on "boring")
Gentle, non-threatening movement
Long-exhale breathing (4–6 or 4–8 breathing)
Somatic tracking (noticing sensations without alarm)
Gradual exposure (doing less than you can tolerate, consistently)
This is how the brain begins to:
Lower pain amplification
Reduce neurogenic inflammation
Decrease stress hormone output
Stop treating normal sensations as dangerous
Without this foundation? No diet, scan, supplement, or therapy will have lasting effects no matter how shiny or well-marketed.
Stop Accidentally Reinforcing Danger
Many of us unknowingly train our nervous system to stay on high alert, even when we think we’re being “diligent” or “proactive.”
Here’s how I did that:
Constantly scanning my body for symptoms
Interpreting every flare as a setback or injury
Obsessively Googling symptoms
Running the same labs over and over, hoping for new answers
Avoiding all movement because I feared making things worse
The truth is, your nervous system listens to your interpretations more than it listens to your lab results.
Every time we respond to a sensation with fear, the brain takes that as confirmation: “Ah, still dangerous better keep the alarm on.”
Part 2: How Diet Supports Nervous System Regulation (But Doesn’t Fix the Root)
Food doesn’t “cure” central sensitization, but it can absolutely lower the noise level.
Blood Sugar Stability = Less Cortisol = Less Pain
This one surprised me. Blood sugar swings are one of the most overlooked drivers of pain sensitivity.
Here’s what helps:
Protein and fiber at every meal
Avoiding long fasts if you’re symptom-sensitive
Eating consistent, regular meals
Blood sugar crashes → cortisol spikes → increased pain sensitivity.
Once I realized this, a lot of my flare-ups made more sense. I noticed my pain levels 1-2 years ago when I didn’t keep up with a clean diet consistently anymore. I’ve been working on eating in a way that feels nourishing and not punishing. It’s a work in progress, but the impact has been noticeable.
Anti-Inflammatory Patterns, Not Perfection
What helps:
Mediterranean-style meals
Whole, minimally processed foods
Omega-3s
Veggies, fiber, and enough calories
What hurts:
Overly restrictive food rules
Fear-based elimination diets
Constant gut-cleansing protocols
A calmer gut supports a calmer brain, but your gut doesn’t need to be flawless for your nervous system to begin healing.
Try:
Cooked foods over raw (if you’re sensitive)
Avoiding foods that clearly trigger symptoms
Letting go of endless protocols and supplement stacks
Part 3: Supplements That Support Nervous System Healing (And Which to Avoid)
Supplements can be helpful, but only if your nervous system is already learning safety. Otherwise, even the most “targeted” protocol can backfire.
Most helpful:
Magnesium (glycinate or threonate): supports calm and sleep
Omega-3s (EPA/DHA): reduces neuroinflammation
Vitamin D (if low): associated with lower pain sensitivity
B-complex (especially B12, B6, folate): supports nerve health
Sometimes helpful, individual response varies:
Curcumin (gentle inflammation support)
Inositol (supports insulin sensitivity and neurotransmission)
Glycine or taurine (calming amino acids)
Use caution with:
Detox stacks
Mega-antioxidant regimens
Anything that makes you feel wired or worse
If a supplement makes you feel jittery, nauseous, or flared it’s not building safety. It’s building alarm.
Part 4: Insulin Sensitivity: A Quiet Game-Changer
This was a lightbulb moment for me. Improving insulin sensitivity can help:
Reduce systemic inflammation
Improve nerve energy metabolism
Lower stress hormones like cortisol and adrenaline
What helps:
Walking (especially after meals)
Gentle strength training
Consistent, adequate sleep
Reducing your stress load (yes, easier said than done but very real)
The Takeaway
Chronic pain isn’t weakness. It’s not imaginary. And it’s not always from broken tissue.
Often, it’s a brain that learned to protect too well and hasn’t gotten the memo that the danger is gone.
You don’t have to push through the pain. You don’t have to be “fixed.”
You just need to teach your nervous system that it’s safe again.
It is not easy and not fast but there is hope.
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This article reflects my personal experience and research into pain neuroscience and nervous system regulation. It is not medical advice.
Want to learn more?Visit: www.rayahealthwellness.com
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