This is a complex subject, but I’ll simplify it by sharing key points that are relevant for individuals with scoliosis who are dealing with chronic or persistent pain. The good news is that it’s possible to retrain your nervous system and reduce your pain. However, the bad news is that it requires time and effort. There are no magic solutions here; if you want a different experience, you’ll have to try something new and different.
Many people turn to yoga for pain relief. They find it challenging to rest because their systems are constantly on overdrive, and they feel the need to “do” something about the pain. This is completely understandable. Their muscles are spasming, their mobility is limited, they feel tired and often hopeless. They are often advised to strengthen their core or back, but they repeatedly injure themselves in the process. They have tried various treatments and therapies without success. It’s important to note that this is neither their fault nor the fault of their healthcare providers. The human nervous system is a complex entity.
How the Pain and Danger Signal System Works
Did you know that when we experience pain, 200-400 areas of our brain can be involved in protecting us? Pain becomes apparent in our consciousness when our brain determines that something has happened to our body that is significant enough to demand attention. The nerves responsible for transmitting danger signals to the brain respond to pressure on the tissues, changes in chemicals, and/or temperature changes in our environment.
We feel pain because the nerves sensed one of these occurrences and then sent danger signals from the affected area, whether it’s the skin or elsewhere, through the spine to the brain, and vice versa. The brain also sends signals down the spine to modulate the intensity of incoming signals.
When it comes to scoliosis, these mechanisms can become distorted, pun intended. Scoliosis creates a right/left imbalance in the body that affects the muscles. Some individuals with scoliosis experience more frequent and intense pain because the condition exerts an unusual amount of continuous pressure on their tissues. The convex areas of their body are overstretched and typically feel uncomfortable, while the concave areas are compressed and prone to spasms. Additionally, the position of the lower back ribs can contribute to the issue. In certain cases, the shape and position of the ribs put pressure on the adrenal glands, leading to regular adrenaline production and a fight/flight/freeze response. Adrenaline is meant for short bursts of activity, such as escaping danger, after which the body should rest and recover. However, when adrenaline is repeatedly or chronically present, the nervous system adapts, resulting in exhaustion and accelerated aging. It’s worth noting that scoliosis varies greatly among individuals, and some people may not experience significant pain at all. This highlights the complexity of the nervous system.
The nervous system is shaped by experiences, not just facts, and it exhibits some peculiar behaviors. We can experience a significant amount of pain without much actual danger. Think of a paper cut—it hurts a lot, but it’s a small and relatively insignificant injury. Yet, we often assume that more pain signifies more danger or tissue damage.
Another interesting fact is that the nerves in our skin provide accurate feedback regarding the location of danger or injury in need of protection (such as a sunburn), but the brain doesn’t possess a perfectly accurate map of the interior of our body. As a result, we can have pain experiences that don’t make sense. Referred pain is one example, where an injury in one location causes the most pain in another. Empathy pain is another example, where witnessing someone else’s pain leads to a similar sensation in our own bodies.
In cases of chronic or persistent pain, the nervous system can become hypersensitive because it learns from experiences. Normally, it takes a considerable amount of stimulation to activate the nerves. However, frequently used nerve pathways associated with danger can start sending danger signals even in the absence of real damage. This can be seen as an amplification in cases of post-traumatic stress disorder. For instance, if you were injured by a red car and your nervous system registered the message “red car = danger,” then every time you see a red car, your nerves become activated and send danger signals, creating pain, even if the red car is far away and you’re completely safe.
Frequent danger signals lead the brain to perceive them as important, resulting in the creation of additional nerve receptors for these signals. This increases the intensity of the pain experience. These signals also receive priority and are transmitted faster and more easily. The baseline level of nerve excitement decreases, meaning it takes less stimulation for them to send danger signals. As a result, you may even feel pain when lightly touching the area of an injury, even though a gentle touch is not harmful to the tissues. With an overactive nervous system, you experience pain more frequently, even in situations or movements that aren’t actually dangerous. The nervous system has learned to be easily triggered and vocal, thus perpetuating a vicious cycle of nerve stimulation, more danger signals, increased pain, and a chronic fight/flight response, leading to more inflammation and more pain.
On the other hand, the brain can also decide that frequent danger signals aren’t that significant and reduce the pain experience associated with those pathways. Alternatively, the brain may be preoccupied with something more important and not create a pain experience in certain cases where danger signals and pain would typically be warranted. The nervous system is a complex system indeed.
What Will Help?
Slow down, pay attention to your breath and any sensations.. Sounds like yoga and meditation, doesn’t it?
Remember, the nervous system learns through experiences. You can teach your system to calm down and react less. Research and experience indicate that being mindful of the body and pain, while not reacting to it, gradually decreases the amount of pain experienced over time. Let me clarify: this doesn’t mean ignoring or suppressing the pain. It means purposefully paying attention to the present moment and what is happening, while discerning whether real danger is present.
The nervous system pays attention when you look at pain, injury, or a situation and recognize that you are safe. By staying connected to your sensations, pausing, observing, and continuing to breathe, you enable your system to regulate itself. Conversely, if you perceive pain as very important and believe that significant damage is occurring, to the point that you are holding your breath, your heart starts to race, and other bodily systems start activating then, your nerves will be stimulated, intensifying pain and putting you at risk of injury. By learning to slow down, you can more accurately identify what is truly dangerous and requires a response and what isn’t. Suppressing, avoiding, numbing, or pushing through the pain doesn’t work in the long run.
It’s important to note that nerves regenerate every 3-4 days. Overly excitable nerves tend to create more excitable nerves, while calmer nerves promote the development of calmer nerves. Spending more time in a state of rest and relaxation supports the overall calming of the nervous system. This is a strong argument for longer savasanas (corpse poses)!
One approach to retraining the nervous system involves a “kind challenge.” This means engaging in movements that activate your nervous system to a small extent. You exert some effort that stimulates your pain signaling system, but only to a degree that still allows you to breathe easily and enables your system to regulate itself quickly. Pushing too hard and too fast will trigger the fight/flight/freeze response and the resulting cycle of inflammation and flare-ups, which we aim to avoid.
If you have experience with gentle strength training, this can serve as a useful example. Increasing your efforts and weights slightly applies a small amount of stress to the body, engaging a small number of muscle cells. The next day, you may feel a bit sore, but you understand that it’s part of the process as your muscle cells recover and multiply. It’s not dangerous but a natural aspect of the experience. However, if you exceed your body’s limits by using heavier weights than it can handle easily and push yourself too far, you’ll require more recovery time, trigger the danger signal system, experience greater pain, and be at risk of injury.
Similarly, retraining your nervous system involves finding the sweet spot. In yoga, we refer to this as a “steady and comfortable seat” or “sthira sukham asanam.” It means finding the right amount of effort for you in the present moment. This can be one of the most challenging and rewarding aspects of yoga asana practice. By achieving this balance, you can sit comfortably for meditation, a central practice of yoga.
Some people stumble by listening to the mind’s chatter, such as the belief that “if a little feels good, more must be better.” This leads to overexertion. Others may fear injury or discomfort and avoid making sufficient effort, resulting in underperformance. The first response activates the nervous system and deepens the established danger signal pathways, often leading to increased pain in the long term. The second response fails to provide enough challenge to the system for retraining while maintaining safety and calm breathing. Finding the right amount of effort is the practice. A steady, comfortable seat in the pose with smooth transitions into and out of the pose.
Takeaway Messages: Finding the right amount of effort is crucial for retraining an overactive nervous system. Prioritizing rest for the body, mind, and spirit, as well as ensuring quality sleep, supports the development of calmer nerves. Cultivating awareness of your body, breath, and mind during yoga practice enhances your ability to self-regulate both on and off the mat. Noticing which triggers increase your pain and which activities decrease it empowers you to change your long-term pain experience.
It takes time and patience.
Be kind to yourself throughout this process.
If you would like assistance in identifying your pain triggers, creating a plan to reduce them, or learning how to practice yoga in a way that supports your nervous system, then let’s talk about it. You can book a free 30 minute call with me here
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Reference: “Understand Pain: Live Well Again” by Neil Pearson.
