The Pain Habit

17/06/2026

When pain changes — and when it doesn't.

Many people assume pain should behave like an injury.

Injury heals.
Symptoms improve.
The pattern makes sense.

Persistent pain often behaves differently.

It may:
✔ Move around the body
✔ Change with stress or emotion
✔ Appear after poor sleep
✔ Ease during enjoyable activities
✔ Flare without obvious tissue damage

These patterns don't mean the pain isn't real.

They simply suggest there may be more influencing the experience than tissues alone.

Understanding patterns can sometimes be the first step toward understanding recovery.

I've explored this further in a new article:

👇 Read here:

Persistent pain can vary, move, flare, or feel consistent. This blog explores what pain patterns may tell us about the body, nervous system, sensitivity, safety, and recovery.

15/06/2026

Do you have questions about chronic pain, persistent symptoms, or mindbody conditions?

Our next SIRPA Practitioner Chat is a live Q&A with Physio Drew Coverdale and IFS Practitioner Phil de la Haye, created for anyone looking to better understand their symptoms through a mindbody approach.

This is a chance to hear from experienced practitioners, ask questions, and explore what recovery can look like when we move beyond simply managing pain and start understanding the role of the brain, nervous system, emotions, and safety.

📅 Friday 19 June 2026
⏰ 15:00–16:00 BST
🌍 10:00–11:00 AM ET

Register for the free event here:
https://fb.me/e/6XaVWa9Yh

What question would you love to ask during the Q&A? 💙

05/06/2026

"Every time I bend forward, I feel like I'm damaging my back."

It's one of the most common concerns I hear.

The problem is that once we start associating a movement with damage, fear naturally follows.

Fear leads to tension.

Tension leads to protection.

And protection can often increase pain.

That doesn't mean the pain isn't real.

It means the body may be responding to perceived danger rather than actual harm.

I've written a new blog exploring why pain during bending is often more complex than a simple structural problem.

👇 Read here:

https://www.thepainhabit.com/blog/why-bending-doesnt-reinjure-your-back

Have you ever avoided a movement because you thought it was causing damage?

Worried that bending forward is damaging your back? Learn why pain with movement is often a protective response, not re-injury — and how to begin feeling safe again.

29/05/2026

Is Your Pain Really Constant?

Many people tell me:

"My pain is constant."

So I often ask:

"Does it change when you move?"

If the answer is yes, then something interesting appears.

The pain may be present...

But it isn't actually constant.

It varies.

Maybe it:
✔ Changes intensity

✔ Changes location

✔ Changes with movement

✔ Changes throughout the day

✔ Changes when you're distracted or relaxed

Why does that matter?

Because variation tells us the nervous system is capable of producing different experiences.

The pain is real.

But its behaviour may be more flexible than we first assumed.

Sometimes the most important step isn't finding an answer.

It's asking a better question.

Have you noticed your pain changing throughout the day?

21/05/2026

Why can pain stay even when nothing is wrong?

This is one of the most common and confusing questions in persistent pain.

You may have had scans.
You may have been reassured.
You may have been told there is no serious damage.

And yet the pain is still there.

That does not mean the pain is fake. Pain is always real.

But persistent pain is not always a sign of ongoing damage. Sometimes it is a sign that the nervous system has learned to stay protective, even when the body is safe.

In this blog, I explain why pain can continue after healing, why reassurance alone often isn’t enough, and how recovery can begin by helping the system feel safe again.

www.thepainhabit.com/blog/why-can-pain-stay-even-when-nothing-is-wrong

07/05/2026

Apparently this guy is a good option to sometimes listen to.

Mostly I think he talks a load of rubbish. 😂😂😂

But some stuff…..I know is good. 😉

🌟 SIRPA Practitioner Spotlight: Drew Coverdale
This week, we’re shining a light on Drew Coverdale, a SIRPA Practitioner and physiotherapist.

With 25 years of experience treating musculoskeletal conditions, Drew brings a deep understanding of persistent pain, not just from a physical perspective, but through the lens of how pain patterns can develop, become reinforced, and ultimately be changed.
His work focuses on helping people understand how and why persistent pain develops, and how to begin reversing the habits and protective patterns that may be keeping symptoms active.
Drew has worked across the NHS, private practice, and university teaching, and is currently involved in research with Teesside University exploring these approaches further.

He offers both in-person and online support, as well as free initial calls.
👉 Learn more about Drew and how he can help here:
https://www.sirpa.org/practitioner/drew-coverdale/

07/05/2026

🌟 SIRPA Practitioner Spotlight: Drew Coverdale
This week, we’re shining a light on Drew Coverdale, a SIRPA Practitioner and physiotherapist.

With 25 years of experience treating musculoskeletal conditions, Drew brings a deep understanding of persistent pain, not just from a physical perspective, but through the lens of how pain patterns can develop, become reinforced, and ultimately be changed.
His work focuses on helping people understand how and why persistent pain develops, and how to begin reversing the habits and protective patterns that may be keeping symptoms active.
Drew has worked across the NHS, private practice, and university teaching, and is currently involved in research with Teesside University exploring these approaches further.

He offers both in-person and online support, as well as free initial calls.
👉 Learn more about Drew and how he can help here:
https://www.sirpa.org/practitioner/drew-coverdale/

15/04/2026

The body doesn’t always communicate in words.

It often communicates in sensation.

Pain.
Tension.
Discomfort that seems to move or change.

That doesn’t mean something is going wrong.

Sometimes it means something hasn’t been fully processed yet.

And the body is finding a way to express it.

A small shift:

Instead of asking
“What’s wrong?”

Try asking
“What might this be pointing to?”

You don’t need a full answer.

Just noticing can be enough to begin with.

13/04/2026

Sometimes pain isn’t just about the body.

It can also reflect what’s been happening in the background of life.

Stress.
Responsibility.
Things we’ve been holding together for a while.

Not because anything is “wrong”…

But because the system has been under load.

And eventually, it asks for attention.

That doesn’t make the pain any less real.

But it can change how we begin to understand it.

—

I’ve written a short piece exploring this idea here:

A real case study exploring how grief and emotional stress can influence persistent back pain, even when structural findings like scoliosis are present.