When you stub your toe, swearing might do more than vent frustration—it can actually raise your pain tolerance. A Keele University study found real swear words boosted endurance by over 30%, while made-up ones like “fouch” and “twizpipe” had no effect. Why this happens is still a mystery. What’s clear is that real swearing helps us push through pain in ways scientists are only beginning to understand.

What if your deepest pain held the seeds of your greatest growth? Post-traumatic growth (PTG) offers a hopeful lens on suffering, one that honours the brutality of trauma while exploring how it can lead to profound transformation. From greater appreciation of life to spiritual renewal, PTG shows how, when supported, pain can become a portal. This post explores the psychology, pathways, and personal reflections behind healing and meaning-making after hardship.

When Childhood Pain Echoes explores how adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) shape the brain and increase the risk of chronic pain in adulthood. Drawing from a 2023 meta-analysis of over 800,000 participants, this post breaks down how early emotional, physical, or sexual abuse can leave a lasting neurobiological imprint—altering your nervous system’s pain alarm. But there’s good news: what was once wired by adversity can be rewired with evidence-based tools and trauma-informe

A groundbreaking study in Nature Medicine reveals chronic pain can be predicted before it spreads. Using data from 493,000 people, researchers created a six-question biopsychosocial risk score that forecasts pain progression up to 9 years in advance. The key drivers? Mood, sleep, stress, and BMI, not tissue damage. This is huge for informing how we understand and prevent persistent pain.

Lingering pain may not just come from your body—but from broken trust. New research reveals that betrayal trauma, especially from those closest to us, is linked to chronic pain. Whether from caregivers, partners, or authority figures, these wounds can disrupt emotional processing and amplify physical symptoms. Healing requires more than medication—it requires being reconnected to safe, validating relationships.

What if your chronic back pain isn’t just structural—but emotional? Research shows that suppressing anger can heighten physical pain through changes in brain activity. Two landmark studies reveal that unresolved emotions, particularly anger, amplify pain signals in the brain’s emotional circuits. But here’s the good news: through awareness and healthy expression, your brain—and your pain—can be rewired.

Introduction As a physiotherapist, there's nothing more rewarding than seeing a patient get better, especially with long-standing pain....