Rewiring Pain Predictions
Your brain is constantly trying to make life easier for you. It does this by predicting what’s about to happen -- what you'll feel, see, hear, and need -- so you don’t have to consciously process everything in real time.
This creates efficiency in the nervous system, which our brains really like as a way to get through our day-to-day lives, rather than dealing with the expenditure of calories and effort to navigate everything we encounter each day as new each time. As I often tell clients that are puzzled by this idea, "If we had to figure out how to use a doorknob each time we tried it, we'd never get anything done!"
Sometimes though, the brain gets these predictions wrong. Especially when it comes to chronic neuroplastic pain.
If your brain expects pain in a certain context -- blending information about past experiences, cues from your current situation, and bodily sensations you're feeling in the moment -- it can produce that pain even when nothing is wrong. That's how these predictions work.
But when you have that same experience and pain doesn’t happen, your brain experiences a prediction error.
It may expect danger, and perhaps even prepares to send pain signals in response. But when danger isn't actually perceived, that’s the moment when learning can happen -- when your brain effectively says, “Wait a second… maybe I don’t need to sound the alarm here.” These moments are powerful, and with practice, you can create more of them.
The path to healing? Give your brain new information in unexpectedly safe ways. In essence, you're helping it notice: “Oh! I predicted danger, but nothing bad actually happened.”
That’s the moment a new model starts to form in your nervous system.
Here are six ways you can help your brain create those gentle & healing prediction errors:
Break the Pattern Gently
If bending over usually triggers pain, try doing it just slightly or very slowly, while focusing on full, easy breaths or even while listening to soothing music or sounds. Or, try the same motion in a new location. A small, sensory shift like that -- using different lighting, a slower tempo, or during a different time of day -- can help your brain realize this isn't the old "danger" moment.
Do Something Familiar in Nature
Our brains feel more at ease in natural environments. The visual patterns and rhythmic movements of leaves, waves, or tree bark feed our brains' desire for efficiency & predictability (these repeating patterns are what scientists call "fractals"). Nature's fractals lower prediction workload in our brain and serve to soothe our nervous systems. This calming context can help your brain receive a new message: "this is safe."
Let Calm & Ease Surprise You
Instead of bracing for pain when in a familiar movement, bring some curiosity in and ask, "What if it doesn't hurt this time?" You're not forcing it here, you're simply opening the door. If you feel even a little less pain than expected, don't discount it as a win! That's a useful prediction error that your brain notices.
Tell the Story Differently
Rather than saying, "this always hurts," try: "My brain thinks this will hurt, but it might be wrong." This subtle reframe respects your experience while planting a seed of curiosity & possibility that your brain can use to make a different experience.
Stack Predictability with Novelty
If movement feels scary, combine one familiar & safe element (like a favorite song or location) with one new, small challenge (like a different movement or pace). This blend keeps your nervous system regulated while still offering your brain new data.
Track the "Non-Events"
Pain grabs your attention by design. But what about the times when you expected pain and it didn't show up? Those non-events can be easier to let slip from your awareness. Start noticing and even recording those, they are gold. (I frequently have my Pain Reprocessing Therapy clients keep a "wins & positive surprises" journal for this exact purpose!) Your brain learns a TON from what doesn't happen.
Remember, your brain wants to learn.
Your nervous system isn’t broken -- it’s just been doing its best to protect you. With curiosity, safety, and small surprises, or "errors" in prediction like those above, you can help it rewrite the pain map. And when that happens, the road ahead gets much, much easier.