This quarter, my workouts finally started working. My strength went up and my pain flares mostly turned into tightness. But once the workouts stopped being the problem, chronic back pain…
stress and pain
Allostatic Load: What Your Body Is Keeping Score Of (And Why It Matters for Chronic Pain)
Allostatic load is the physical wear and tear that builds up when your body’s stress response systems stay activated longer than they need to. It can also build when those…
Pain That Moves Around Your Body: What Your Nervous System Is Trying to Tell You
When pain appears to move around your body, it’s rarely a new injury. A nervous system that’s been on alert in one area long enough can activate nearby regions and…
The Freeze Response in Chronic Pain: When Your Body Shuts Down Instead of Fighting Back
The freeze response in chronic pain is a dorsal vagal shutdown state, not a discipline problem or depression. It shows up as exhaustion that sleep doesn’t touch, paralysis over small…
Strong Looks Different Now: Rebuilding Strength After a Chronic Pain Flare
I was standing in front of the dumbbells in my garage gym a few weeks ago and I caught myself reaching for the weight I used to lift without thinking….
Burnout Fatigue Symptoms: Why You Crash After You Push Through
Burnout fatigue symptoms most often show up after a stressful period ends rather than during it. The crash hits once the body finally downshifts and the fatigue signals it had…