Stop Believing These 5 Pain Myths (Science Says They're Wrong)
What If Everything You’ve Been Taught About Pain Is Wrong?
Photo by Walter Frehner on Unsplash
Years ago, I couldn’t walk without excruciating pain. Today, I hiked a mountain.
What changed wasn’t my body - it was my understanding of pain.
Have you been told your pain is because of wear and tear… a slipped disc… or just old age?
Maybe you’ve done everything “right”—physio, rest, even surgery—and the pain is still here.
I see you. I’ve been you.
But here’s the thing:
Much of what we believe about pain is not just outdated - it’s incorrect. And it’s keeping people stuck in fear, tension, and suffering. I want to change that, starting now.
In this article, I’ll walk you through 5 of the most common myths about pain, what modern neuroscience actually says, and a few simple tools you can begin using today to feel more in control.
Myth #1: If I Feel Pain, Something Must Be Wrong in My Body
The fear behind this myth is powerful: "My pain means something is damaged. I must be broken."
But pain and injury aren’t always linked.
Case in point: A construction worker once jumped onto a nail that pierced through his boot. He was in agony and rushed to hospital. But when they removed the boot—they discovered the nail had gone between his toes. Not a scratch. (Fisher et al., BMJ, 1995)
He wasn’t faking. His brain believed there was danger—and created real pain.
In a 2011 study, Castro et al. demonstrated that people exposed to a fake car crash developed full-blown whiplash symptoms—even though no collision occurred. Their brains created pain, trying to protect them.
Pain is not a damage detector. It’s an alarm system.
But sometimes that system becomes too sensitive - like a smoke alarm that goes off from burnt toast instead of fire.
Your nervous system can learn to sound the alarm even when there’s no real threat.
"Pain is an opinion on the organism's state of health rather than a mere reflective response to an injury." —Dr. V.S. Ramachandran, Neuroscientist
Myth #2: MRI and Scans Can Explain My Pain
Scans are helpful - but not always meaningful.
A 2015 study (Brinjikji et al.) found that 90% of people over 60 without back pain still show disc degeneration on MRI.
Bigos et al. (1991) showed that beliefs about work and pain were better predictors of chronic back pain than MRI results.
Still, hearing words like “degeneration” or “bulging disc” can make your stomach drop.
I’ve been there. When a doctor points to a scan and says “normal wear and tear,” your brain may translate it as: “You’re falling apart.”
And guess what happened? This can make the pain get worse. You feel broken. You move less. You fear your body.
But here’s what I wish someone had told me:
These findings are common, even in people without pain. They’re like wrinkles - signs of age, not illness.
Next time you read a scan report, ask your doctor:
How common are these findings in pain-free people?
Will this change how we treat the pain?
Would you be concerned if I had no symptoms?
Myth #3: My Pain Is Permanent Because It's Been Here for Years
Long-term pain can feel like a life sentence. It becomes part of your identity.
I remember thinking, “If it hasn’t gone away by now, it probably never will.”
Then I discovered neuroplasticity - the brain’s ability to change.
A 2012 study (Baliki et al.) found that chronic pain is linked not just to injury - but to the way the brain learns pain over time.
Pain becomes a habit. A loop. A well-worn neural pathway.
But habits can be broken. Pathways can change.
Your brain isn’t stuck. It’s been trying to protect you the only way it knows. And it can learn a new way.
Myth #4: The More I Rest, the More I Heal
We’re told to rest. And initially, after an injury - that’s sound advice.
But chronic pain isn’t the same as an acute injury. If rest becomes avoidance, it teaches your brain that movement = danger.
I remember a time when walking to the shop felt like climbing Everest. I’d avoided so many movements that my world shrunk to four walls.
A 2023 meta-analysis (Ibrahim et al.) confirmed that gradual movement outperforms continued rest in reducing chronic pain.
Your brain needs new evidence: “I moved. I was safe. Nothing bad happened.”
Myth #5: Pain Happens in the Body
Pain is felt in the body, yes. But it’s created in the brain.
Wager et al. (2013) used brain scans to identify a neurological signature for pain. It proved that pain is constructed by the brain based on input and context.
In 2024, AI brain mapping showed that pain circuits can be rewired. If pain can be learned, it can be unlearned.
Here’s a simple demonstration:
Close your eyes. Picture a lemon. Bright yellow. Imagine slicing it open, smelling the sharp citrus. Now imagine biting into a wedge.
Did your mouth water?
That was your brain creating a physical response to an imagined experience. This is how powerful the mind is.
Pain works the same way. If your brain can create it, it can also change it.
Talk to your brain like a trusted friend. “Thank you for trying to protect me. But I am safe now.”
Your Brain Isn’t Broken—It’s Trying to Protect You
These myths fuel fear. But fear isn’t the end of your story. It’s the beginning of awareness.
Let’s Recap:
Pain doesn’t always mean damage
Scans don’t tell the whole story
Your brain can change
Avoidance increases fear
Pain happens in the brain, not just the body
Three Things You Can Try Today:
Safety Messages – Tell your body: “You’re safe. I’m listening.”
Fear-Free Movement – Practice a movement you’ve been avoiding, gently.
Pain Journal – Note when your pain increases or decreases. Look beyond the physical - notice emotions, thoughts, sleep, stress.
You’re Not Broken. You’re Becoming.
Which myth hit home for you? Drop it in the comments. Because when we stop believing these myths - we start believing in the possibility of healing.
📩 Want more mind-body tools and science-backed practices? Subscribe to my newsletter for weekly support on your healing journey.
If you’d like support on your journey, I’d love to hear from you. Feel free to reach out, and we can have a friendly chat to see if my personalised approach is the right fit for you.
Sources
Myth #1: Pain ≠ Physical Damage
1. Fisher et al. (1995) – Nail Case Study - Original BMJ case report (via PainScience analysis)
Supports: Pain without injury as a brain-generated protective response.
2. Castro et al. (2011) – Nocebo Hyperalgesia -Nocebo effects in pain perception (PubMed)
Supports: Pain created by perceived threat, even without real injury.
Myth #2: MRI Scans ≠ Pain Explanation
3. Brinjikji et al. (2015) – MRI in Asymptomatic Adults - Systematic review on spinal degeneration (PainScience commentary)
Supports: 90% of pain-free adults show spinal abnormalities on MRI.
4. Bigos et al. (1991) – Beliefs vs. MRI Findings - MRI use and back surgery rates (PMC study)
Supports: Psychological factors better predict chronic pain than MRI results.
Myth #3: Chronic Pain ≠ Permanent
5. Hashmi JA, Baliki MN, Huang L, Baria AT, Torbey S, Hermann KM, Schnitzer TJ, Apkarian AV. Shape shifting pain: chronification of back pain shifts brain representation from nociceptive to emotional circuits.
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3754458/?utm_source=chatgpt.com
Supports: Chronic pain linked to brain changes that can be rewired.
Myth #4: Rest ≠ Healing
6. Ibrahim et al. (2022) – Movement vs. Rest - Meta-analysis on exercise for chronic back pain (JOSPT)
Supports: Pilates and movement reduce pain better than rest.
https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0106133
7. Van Damme et al. (2023) – Spinal Movement & Recovery - Increased movement reduces disability (Wiley)
Supports: Protective movement avoidance worsens pain.
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/ejp.2162
Myth #5: Pain Originates in the Brain
8. Wager et al. (2013) – Neurological Pain Signature - Brain scans decode pain perception (Oxford Academic)
Supports: Pain is a brain-constructed alarm system.
https://academic.oup.com/book/29853/chapter-abstract/252990573?redirectedFrom=fulltext
