Understanding the source or mechanism of your physical pain can actually help reduce how much pain you feel. Modern pain science suggests that when people learn why they hurt – for example, understanding that pain is a protective signal from the nervous system – it can make the pain less intense and less scary. In short, knowledge about pain empowers patients and can lead to better pain management.

Evidence from Research

Peer-reviewed research supports this idea. For example, an open-access 2024 article in the International Journal of Sports Physical Therapy reports that educating people about the neuroscience behind their pain has measurable benefits . In this study, patients were taught about how pain works in the body (often called “pain neuroscience education”). The results showed that patients who understood the biological basis of their pain reported feeling less pain afterward . They also showed improvements in other areas like reduced fear related to pain and better ability to move.

Key Findings

• Lower Pain Levels: Patients reported decreased pain intensity after learning about pain mechanisms . In one review, pain ratings dropped almost 50% on average (for example, from about 6/10 to 3/10) when education was combined with normal treatment . This is strong evidence that understanding pain can help ease the pain itself.

• Less Fear and Worry: Gaining knowledge about pain reduced patients’ fear and anxiety around their symptoms. They were less afraid of movement or of their pain meaning something was terribly wrong . This drop in fear (sometimes called reduced catastrophizing) can break the cycle of pain → fear → more pain.

• Better Function: With pain feeling less threatening, people often move more freely. The research noted improved movement and reduced disability in patients who received pain education . In practical terms, understanding the pain let them return to daily activities with more confidence.

Why This Matters

These findings are encouraging because they show that “knowledge is power” even when it comes to pain. Pain isn’t just a physical sensation – it’s influenced by how we think about it. When you learn that your pain might be due to a fixable issue or an overactive nervous system (and not necessarily serious damage), the pain often becomes less intense. Educating patients about their pain can replace fear with a sense of control. This doesn’t mean pain is “all in your head,” but rather that your brain can turn the volume of pain up or down based on how much danger it perceives. By understanding the true source of pain, people often feel more relieved, less stressed, and in turn experience less pain.

Full Article: For those interested in reading more, the full paper by Louw et al. (2024) is available online (open access) in IJSPT. It provides a clear, evidence-backed discussion on how explaining pain science to patients can help reduce their pain . This research-backed insight is a great reminder that learning about our pain is an important step in healing.