Pain Is Not Just in Your Head… But It’s Also Not Just in Your Body

Understanding Pain Through the Biopsychosocial Model

We’ve all heard someone say, “It’s all in your head,” when it comes to pain, but that phrase seriously misses the mark. At Sol Chiropractic, we want to shift the conversation and deepen your understanding of what pain actually is: a complex experience shaped by your biology, psychology, and social environment. This is known as the biopsychosocial model of pain, and it changes the game when it comes to healing.

What Is the Biopsychosocial Model?

Rather than seeing pain as only a physical problem (like a slipped disc or a sprained ankle), this biopsychosocial model looks at three key aspects:

• Biological: The physical tissue damage or dysfunction (muscles, joints, nerves).

• Psychological: Your thoughts, emotions, stress levels, and past trauma.

• Social: Your environment, relationships, work stress, and support systems.

These parts don’t work in isolation—they interact constantly. You might feel more pain when you’re overwhelmed, lonely, or anxious, even if your injury hasn’t worsened physically.

Pain Pathways and the Efficiency of the Nervous System

Our nervous system is incredibly smart and efficient. Once a pain pathway is laid down in your brain and body (think: after an injury), your system prefers to reuse it rather than create a new one. This is why old injuries can flare up when you’re under stress, even if the tissue has fully healed. Your body remembers pain, and stress can “light up” those old pathways.

This concept is supported by neuroplasticity, the idea that our brains and nervous systems are always rewiring based on experience. If you’ve ever felt an old knee injury twinge when you're going through something emotionally intense, that’s your nervous system defaulting to a familiar signal.

The Role of Chiropractic Care

This is where chiropractic, especially neurologically-focused chiropractic like we offer at Sol, makes a profound difference.

Dr. Heidi Haavik, in her book Reality Check, explains that specific chiropractic adjustments influence the prefrontal cortex, which is the part of the brain involved in pain processing, decision-making, and emotional regulation. Adjustments don’t just help with joint motion. They help your brain better perceive your body and process pain more accurately.

But it’s not just one adjustment that makes the difference. Rewiring those pain pathways takes consistent care. Just like training your muscles at the gym, it takes repetition and intention to shift how your nervous system processes input. This is why ongoing chiropractic care is so effective, it provides the nervous system with repeated opportunities to choose a different route, to create a new pattern, and to shift out of old pain loops.

You’re not “cracking your back.” You’re creating a whole new dialogue between your brain and your body.

Research supports this. A study published in the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine found that chiropractic care reduced pain and improved quality of life by positively influencing the nervous system’s response to pain and stress (Weigel et al., 2010). Another 2021 review noted that spinal manipulation can modulate central nervous system activity, making it a viable part of the biopsychosocial approach to chronic pain (Pasquier et al., 2021).

Mind Meets Body: How Your Thoughts Shape Pain

Pain can amplify when:

• You’re under chronic stress

• You believe your body is broken

• You feel unsupported or alone

• You expect the worst

But pain can also ease when:

• You move your body regularly

• You feel seen, heard, and supported

• You get adjusted and reconnect your brain and body

• You reframe your thoughts around healing

One of our favorite resources for diving deeper into this conversation is the Dorology Podcast—a show dedicated to understanding pain from all angles.

Try These at Home: Exercises to Rewire Your Pain

• Grounding Breathwork

  • Sit or lie down comfortably. Breathe in for 4 counts, hold for 4, breathe out for 6.

  • Do this for 3–5 minutes. This helps calm your vagus nerve and reset your pain perception.

• Body Scans

  • Gently scan from head to toe with your attention, noticing without judgment.

  • This builds body awareness and helps your brain “re-map” areas that may be locked in pain loops.

• Movement with Intention

  • Gentle, non-painful movement (like walking, stretching, or rocking) teaches your brain that it’s safe to move again.

  • Try: Rocking on your hands and knees, or slow squats using breath to guide the pace.

• Reframe the Story

  • When you feel pain, instead of saying, “Something is wrong with me,” try, “This is a signal that my system needs support.”

You’re Not Broken...You’re Adapting

At Sol, we often remind our patients: your body is not broken; it’s doing its best with what it’s been given. Pain is a message, not a punishment. Through regular chiropractic adjustments, nervous system support, mindset shifts, and intentional movement, you can begin to create new, healthier patterns.

Healing is possible. It doesn’t happen overnight, but with consistent care, the right environment, and support from a team who understands the full picture, your body can change.