

Yoni Ashar on Neuroplastic Pain
53 snips Feb 22, 2022
Yoni Ashar, a clinical psychologist and neuroscientist at Weill Cornell Medicine, explores the fascinating link between beliefs, emotions, and chronic pain. He discusses neuroplastic pain, emphasizing that perceptions of threat can perpetuate discomfort even after injuries heal. Yoni shares innovative pain management techniques, including somatic tracking, which encourages curiosity about pain rather than fear. He highlights how mental habits can exacerbate pain and introduces Pain Reprocessing Therapy as a transformative approach for relief.
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Neuroplastic Pain
- Neuroplastic pain persists even after an injury heals.
- It's caused by brain processes, not ongoing tissue damage.
Pain in the Brain
- Brain scans show chronic pain shifts to different brain regions than initial injury pain.
- These areas relate to learning, memory, emotion, and meaning.
Pain as Prediction
- Pain acts as a predictive learning signal, anticipating potential harm.
- This predictive nature can lead to misinterpretations and chronic pain.