Understanding Pain Reprocessing Therapy and Its Benefits for Chronic Pain Management

Chronic pain affects millions, often persisting long after an injury has healed or without any clear physical cause. Traditional treatments sometimes fall short, leaving patients frustrated and searching for new solutions. Pain Reprocessing Therapy (PRT) offers a different approach by addressing the brain not the body.

What Is Pain Reprocessing Therapy?

Pain Reprocessing Therapy is a psychological treatment that helps people change the way their brain interprets sensations. Unlike traditional pain focused treatments that focus solely on the body, PRT targets the brain’s role in maintaining chronic pain. The therapy is based on the understanding that pain is not just a physical sensation but also a product of the brain’s interpretations of sensations.

In many chronic pain cases, the brain continues to send pain signals even when there is no ongoing tissue damage. This can happen because the brain has learned to expect pain or misinterprets harmless sensations as threats. PRT helps patients retrain their brain to recognize that these signals are safe, reducing the pain experience.

How Does Pain Reprocessing Therapy Work?

PRT combines education, mindfulness and somatic techniques, cognitive techniques, and emotional processing to change pain perception. The therapy usually involves several steps:

• Education about pain: Patients learn how pain works, including the difference between acute pain (from injury) and chronic pain (can be brain-driven).

• Identifying pain triggers and when pain is behaving badly: Patients explore situations, thoughts, or emotions that increase their pain. They also identify times when their pain is not behaving as we would assume an acute pain would.

• Reframing pain signals and engaging neuroplastic change: Therapists guide patients to reinterpret pain signals as non-threatening. Patients gain real time data about their pain so their brain can learn something new.

• Emotional processing: Addressing underlying fears or stress that may amplify pain.

• Cognitive Challenging: Identifying ways of thinking that may amplify fear, stress, frustration, etc regarding pain and challenging maladaptive thinking where appropriate.

  
  

By working through these steps, patients can reduce the brain’s threat response and help decrease the intensity of their pain.

Who Can Benefit from Pain Reprocessing Therapy?

PRT is particularly helpful for people with persistent pain conditions that have not responded well to medication or physical treatments. Examples include:

• Chronic back pain

• Fibromyalgia

• Migraines and tension headaches

• Complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS)

• Chronic Pain Syndrome

• Certain pelvic pain disorders

• Some types of arthritis pain

  
  

Patients who have tried other treatments without success may find PRT offers a different way to manage pain and to find pain relief. It is also useful for those who want to avoid long-term use of pain medications.

Evidence Supporting Pain Reprocessing Therapy

A randomized control trial in 2021 published in the Journal of the American Medical Association Psychiatry found that patients with chronic back pain who received just 8 sessions of PRT reported significant pain reduction compared to control groups. Significant pain reduction meaning 66% of patients in the treatment group reported being pain FREE or nearly pain free at the end of the therapy. Many participants experienced lasting relief months after treatment ended. Research on PRT is growing and research on other specific disorders is coming.

Practical Benefits of Pain Reprocessing Therapy

• Non-invasive: PRT does not involve surgery or medication, reducing risks of side effects.

• Empowering: Patients learn skills to manage their pain independently. This increases self confidence in ability to manage pain.

• Improved quality of life: Reduced pain often leads to better sleep, mood, and daily functioning.

  
  

What to Expect During Pain Reprocessing Therapy

PRT typically involves weekly sessions with a trained therapist over several weeks or months. It is generally an 8 session protocol but this may vary depending on the person. Each session focuses on understanding pain, practicing new ways to think about it, and addressing emotional factors. It is an active therapy, meaning the patient will work on different skills during and after therapy. Patients may notice gradual improvements, with pain intensity decreasing as the brain relearns to interpret signals differently. Some may experience emotional shifts as they confront fears related to pain.

Combining Pain Reprocessing Therapy with Other Treatments

PRT can be part of a comprehensive pain management plan. It works well alongside physical therapy, medications, medical treatments, injections, exercise, and lifestyle changes. Some patients may benefit from further therapy to address other mental health issues such as PTSD, anxiety, depression, insomnia, etc. Patients should discuss PRT with their healthcare providers to create a balanced approach that fits their needs.

Challenges and Considerations

• Commitment: PRT requires active participation and time investment.

• Not a quick fix: Results take time and effort; patience is essential.

• Individual differences: Not everyone responds the same way; some may need additional treatments.

  
  

Pain Reprocessing Therapy at Momentum Psychological Health

At Momentum Psychological Health we offer individual PRT as well as a Pain Reprocessing Health Coaching Program. In the Health Coaching Program patients have access to assessment and personal recommendations, pain education and health coaching sessions by certified PRT Health Coaches.

Final Thoughts on Pain Reprocessing Therapy

Pain Reprocessing Therapy offers a promising option for people struggling with chronic pain. By focusing on the brain’s role in pain, it helps patients reduce suffering and regain control over their lives. If you or someone you know lives with persistent pain, exploring PRT with Momentum Psychological Health could open the door to meaningful relief.

References:

Ashar YK, Gordon A, Schubiner H, et al. (2022). Effect of pain reprocessing therapy vs placebo and usual care for patients with chronic back pain: A randomized clinical trial. JAMA Psychiatry. 79(1):13–23. doi:10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2021.2669

https://www.painreprocessingtherapy.com/reprocessing-project/reprocessing-project-neuroplastic-pain/