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Headaches, migraine, back, neck or joint pain, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), fibromyalgia \u2013 they\u2019re just some of the common causes of chronic pain, which is estimated to affect between a third to half of all UK adults.\n\nIf you or someone close to you is one of them, you don\u2019t need me to tell you it can be physically and emotionally draining. You probably feel like you\u2019ve tried everything \u2013 so today\u2019s podcast has the potential to be a life-changing listen for you. My guest is Dr Howard Schubiner, Director of the Mind Body Medicine Center in Michigan and author of Unlearn Your Pain: A 28-day Process to Reprogram Your Brain.\n\nEmerging neuroscience tells us our brains actually create what we experience in our bodies, through a process called predictive processing. Pain doesn\u2019t come from the body part where it\u2019s felt, it\u2019s created by our brain, signalling that something needs attention. And as Howard explains, our emotions and stress activate the same pain centres in our brain as an injury. If you\u2019ve ever had a broken heart and experienced chest pain? That\u2019s what\u2019s happening.\n\nThe same thing occurs with chronic pain. In the vast majority of cases, there is no structural problem \u2013 such as injury, infection or a tumour \u2013 although of course these must be ruled out. Instead, your brain has created a neural pathway that remembers the pain and keeps you trapped in a vicious cycle. You fear the pain, that causes you stress, and the stress makes the pain real.\n\nAnd that is the absolute key here: it\u2019s not \u2018all in your head\u2019, your pain is real. And there is something you can do about it. During this conversation, Howard reveals why the key is changing your narrative on pain. His revolutionary therapies \u2013 which you can easily access \u2013 have been proven to work not just with chronic pain but in other persistent conditions such as depression and anxiety, chronic fatigue and long Covid.\n\nWe discuss the role healthcare practitioners can play in these conditions, through listening and empathy.\n\nChronic pain isn\u2019t a subject we\u2019ve covered in depth on this podcast before, so I\u2019m very pleased I have the chance to bring this important conversation to you. Howard is one of the leading researchers in this field and his work represents a game-changing, paradigm shift in thinking about how we approach this epidemic. I hope what you\u2019ll take from this episode is that the power of your brain is immense, and that knowledge is power. I hope you enjoy listening.\n\nSupport the podcast and enjoy Ad-Free episodes. Try FREE for 7 days on Apple Podcasts\xa0https://apple.co/feelbetterlivemore\xa0or\xa0https://fblm.supercast.com.\n\nThanks to our sponsors:\nhttps://athleticgreens.com/livemore\nhttps://boncharge.com/livemore\nhttps://vivobarefoot.com/livemore\n\nShow notes\xa0https://drchatterjee.com/310\n\nDISCLAIMER: The content in the podcast and on this webpage is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your doctor or qualified healthcare provider. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have heard on the podcast or on my website.