What is Neuroplastic Pain?

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Pain is a danger signal. Normally when we injure ourselves, the body sends signals to the brain informing us of tissue damage, and we feel pain. But sometimes, the brain can make a mistake! Recent studies have shown that chronic (long term) back pain, neck pain, repetitive strain injury, headaches, and other forms of chronic pain are often not the result of structural causes, but of psychophysiologic processes that can be reversed; this is known as neuroplastic pain.

Neuroplastic pain results from the brain misinterpreting safe messages from the body as if they were dangerous. In other words, neuroplastic pain is a false alarm.

Image of a Man with back pain, in black and white

Pain Reprocessing Therapy (PRT)

A critical step is to differentiate structural pain from non-structural pain; studies have shown that about 85% of people with chronic back pain do not have structural damage that explains their pain, and many other symptoms like migraines, digestive disorders, abdominal pain, and fibromyalgia are also not characterised by structural or tissue damage.

This is where Pain Reprocessing Therapy (PRT) steps in by helping people retrain their nervous systems to ‘unlearn’ neuroplastic pain pathways that are creating severe, debilitating, and very real pain. PRT is a system of psychological techniques that can be used in conjunction with manual therapy that retrains the brain to interpret and respond to signals from the body properly, subsequently breaking the cycle of chronic pain.

PRT has five main components:

A critical step is to differentiate structural pain from non-structural pain; studies have shown that about 85% of people with chronic back pain do not have structural damage that explains their pain, and many other symptoms like migraines, digestive disorders, abdominal pain, and fibromyalgia are also not characterised by structural or tissue damage.

This is where Pain Reprocessing Therapy (PRT) steps in by helping people retrain their nervous systems to ‘unlearn’ neuroplastic pain pathways that are creating severe, debilitating, and very real pain. PRT is a system of psychological techniques that can be used in conjunction with manual therapy that retrains the brain to interpret and respond to signals from the body properly, subsequently breaking the cycle of chronic pain.

PRT has five main components:

1.

Education about the brain origins and reversibility of pain.

2.

Gathering and reinforcing personalised evidence for the brain origins and reversibility of pain.

3.

Attending to and appraising pain sensations through a lens of safety.

4.

Addressing other emotional threats.

5.

Gravitating to positive feelings and sensations.

Does it Work?

A ground-breaking study conducted at the University of Colorado Boulder in 2021 validated Pain Reprocessing Therapy as the most effective current treatment for chronic pain. In this randomised controlled study, there were 100 chronic back pain patients. Half of them received PRT twice a week for four weeks, and half of them received treatment as usual. In the PRT group, 98% of patients improved and 66% of patients were pain-free or nearly pain-free at the end of treatment. These outcomes were largely maintained one year later. Read the study in JAMA Psychiatry here.

Adam Sealey is a certified PRT practitioner and regularly uses this approach with his clients to help break the chronic pain cycle and get them back to living active and pain-free lives. You can view Adam’s listing on the official PRT Directory of Practitioners by clicking here.

A ground-breaking study conducted at the University of Colorado Boulder in 2021 validated Pain Reprocessing Therapy as the most effective current treatment for chronic pain. In this randomised controlled study, there were 100 chronic back pain patients. Half of them received PRT twice a week for four weeks, and half of them received treatment as usual. In the PRT group, 98% of patients improved and 66% of patients were pain-free or nearly pain-free at the end of treatment. These outcomes were largely maintained one year later. Read the study in JAMA Psychiatry here.

Adam Sealey is a certified PRT practitioner and regularly uses this approach with his clients to help break the chronic pain cycle and get them back to living active and pain-free lives.

How Can Back Pain Solutions Help You?

At Back Pain Solutions, we understand the debilitating effects of chronic pain and that’s why we offer a comprehensive approach to pain management, combining hands-on osteopathic treatment with cutting-edge Pain Reprocessing Therapy.

We employ gentle manipulation techniques to address underlying structural issues contributing to your discomfort, while PRT helps retrain your brain’s response to pain signals, promoting long-term relief. You’ll also receive personalised home exercise programs to stretch, strengthen and support your body, empowering you to take an active role in your recovery.

With our integrated approach, we strive to alleviate your chronic pain and improve your overall quality of life.

At Back Pain Solutions, we understand the debilitating effects of chronic pain and that’s why we offer a comprehensive approach to pain management, combining hands-on osteopathic treatment with cutting-edge Pain Reprocessing Therapy.

We employ gentle manipulation techniques to address underlying structural issues contributing to your discomfort, while PRT helps retrain your brain’s response to pain signals, promoting long-term relief. You’ll also receive personalised home exercise programs to stretch, strengthen and support your body, empowering you to take an active role in your recovery.

With our integrated approach, we strive to alleviate your chronic pain and improve your overall quality of life.

Remote Sessions

Remote PRT; Man smiling while sat in front of a computer at home

We are pleased to offer our PRT services remotely, ensuring that no matter where you are located within the country, you can access our specialised care. Our remote consultation service is designed to provide high-quality and personalised treatment all from the comfort of your own home.

  1. Book an Appointment Online: Simply schedule an online consultation at a time that suits you.
  2. Initial Consultation: During your first virtual session, we will conduct a thorough assessment of your condition and medical history.
  3. Personalised PRT Plan: Based on the assessment, we will develop a customised Pain Reprocessing Therapy plan tailored to your specific needs.
  4. Ongoing Support: Virtual sessions will be scheduled to monitor your progress, adjust your treatment plan as necessary, and provide continuous support and guidance.
Remote PRT; Man smiling while sat in front of a computer at home

We are pleased to offer our PRT services remotely, ensuring that no matter where you are located within the country, you can access our specialised care. Our remote consultation service is designed to provide high-quality and personalised treatment all from the comfort of your own home.

  1. Book an Appointment Online: Simply schedule an online consultation at a time that suits you.
  2. Initial Consultation: During your first virtual session, we will conduct a thorough assessment of your condition and medical history.
  3. Personalised PRT Plan: Based on the assessment, we will develop a customised Pain Reprocessing Therapy plan tailored to your specific needs.
  4. Ongoing Support: Virtual sessions will be scheduled to monitor your progress, adjust your treatment plan as necessary, and provide continuous support and guidance.

Reviews

FAQ

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Is Pain Reprocessing Therapy covered by private health insurance?

This entirely depends on your provider and level of cover. If sessions are delivered as a standalone therapy without hands-on treatment, they may not always be covered. If you’re unsure, it’s best to check directly with your insurer. We can provide invoices and documentation where needed.

Treatment is tailored to what is most appropriate for your symptoms; if there is a clear physical component, hands-on osteopathic treatment may be recommended and form part of your care. Where pain is more persistent or driven by the nervous system, sessions may focus more on guided therapy and movement-based work.

If you are seen in person, then hands-on osteopathic treatment may be used to support the recovery process, however in most cases Pain Reprocessing Therapy can be carried out effectively through remote sessions.

Reading about PRT is a great start, and for some people it may be enough.

Where working together can help is in applying those principles to your specific situation. Most people understand the theory relatively quickly, but often find it harder to identify the subtle patterns that may be keeping symptoms going, such as fear, symptom monitoring, avoidance, or over-analysis.

My role is to help you recognise those patterns, tailor the approach to your circumstances, and provide guidance through setbacks and flare-ups. Think of it less as learning new information and more as having an experienced guide to help you apply it effectively.

Yes – this is often where this approach can be particularly helpful.

Persistent or recurring pain that hasn’t fully responded to previous treatments may involve the nervous system maintaining the pain response. In these situations, addressing that component can make a significant difference.

In most cases, yes. Pain Reprocessing Therapy works well alongside osteopathy, physiotherapy, and exercise-based rehabilitation.

Occasionally adjustments may be recommended to better support your recovery, but it is rarely necessary to stop everything you are currently doing.

Flare-ups can still occur, especially early on, and are a normal part of the process.

What changes is your understanding of what’s happening and how you respond to it. Over time, flare-ups tend to feel less concerning, settle more quickly, and have less impact on your day-to-day life.

Are sessions done in person or remotely?

Both options are available. The majority of sessions are carried out remotely, focusing on the guided therapy and movement aspects of treatment. This works well for many people and offers flexibility if you are not based locally or prefer to be seen from home.

If you are local, in-person sessions can also be arranged. These allow for a more integrated approach, combining hands-on treatment, movement, and therapy where appropriate.

Yes, although the focus is slightly different from traditional rehabilitation. Rather than simply strengthening or correcting the body, the aim is to help you feel more confident and at ease with movement again.

You may be guided through gradually returning to movements that have previously felt uncomfortable, helping to reduce fear and build trust in your body. Movement becomes part of retraining both the body and the nervous system.

That’s completely normal, and something we help patients work through every day.

We will discuss your symptoms during the initial consultation to assess what’s most appropriate – if PRT isn’t the right fit, we will guide you towards the treatment that is.

Yes. Pain Reprocessing Therapy is based on modern research into how the brain and nervous system can influence pain, particularly in long-standing conditions.

It reflects a growing shift in how persistent pain is understood and managed within clinical practice.

You can book in by using the contact information available here. Alternatively you can use our online booking form to book either an in-person Osteopathy Consultation at our St. Albans based clinic, or an online PRT consultation.