CAN PRT HELP ME?

PRT aims to address neuroplastic pain, which is thought to be the most common cause of chronic pain and results from the brain misinterpreting safe signals from the body as dangerous.

Neurobiological research shows that the brain can generate pain even in the absence of physical damage. This is often noted to be the case in individuals who had an injury that has since healed or others who may not have identifiable physical damage at any time. PRT aims to eliminate pain by retraining the patient's brain to accurately interpret and respond to signals from the body.

Watch an NBC News segment on PRT.

What evidence supports the claims of PRT?

In 2021, a major study at the University of Colorado Boulder found that Pain Reprocessing Therapy (PRT) is an effective treatment for chronic pain. Patients with chronic back pain were randomly assigned to one of three groups: PRT, treatment as usual, or an open-label placebo injection. After four weeks of treatment, 98% of patients in the PRT group reported improved pain, and 66% were pain-free or nearly pain-free. The pain reductions achieved through PRT were largely maintained even a year after treatment.

This is the first of many evidence-based studies that have further demonstrated the effectiveness of PRT.

For more evidence, click here.

How do I know if I have neuroplastic pain?

This video does a great job of explaining how neural networks cause neuroplastic chronic pain.

Although the majority of chronic pain is neuroplastic, you always want to check with your medical provider to ensure that your pain is not caused by a physical issue or disease. You can also consult a PRT physician to assess for neuroplastic (brain-generated) versus structural pain. Browse a list of PRT-Certified physicians.

You may have neuroplastic pain if:

Your pain began during a time of stress
Your pain originated without injury
Your symptoms are inconsistent
Your symptoms spread/move around your body
You have a large number of symptoms
Your symptoms are triggered by stress
Your pain is triggered by factors that have nothing to do with your body (weather, sounds, smells, time of day)
You have symmetrical symptoms (same part of body on both sides)
Your pain has a delayed start after movement/exercise
You experienced childhood adversity/trauma
You are perfectionistic, conscientious, a people pleaser, or highly anxious
You lack a physical diagnosis

Can PRT still benefit me if my pain is caused by a physical issue or disease?
PRT can treat “mixed pain”, where a client presents with both structural and neuroplastic symptoms. For example, MS or cancer (not neuroplastic) and tension headaches or anxiety (neuroplastic). With all chronic symptoms, there is usually an added layer of suffering due to fear, anxiety, body preoccupation, and amplification of physical sensations beyond what is being caused by the structural issue alone.

PRT concepts benefit everyone, and there is no harm/risk in incorporating a mind-body perspective, so long as you still engage in the medical interventions necessary, given your circumstances.

Does PRT work for chronic physiological symptoms besides for pain?
Yes! Any unpleasant or undesired sensation, including irritable bowel syndrome, weakness, fatigue, nausea, dizziness, tinnitus, insomnia, and more, can fall under neuroplasticity. To reduce/eliminate these symptoms, PRT can help you learn to interpret sensations correctly and through a lens of curiosity, interest, and safety.