What My Nervous System Taught Me About Pain
Many of you know that I — Pippa, osteopath and founder of Osteopathy For All — used to live with fibromyalgia.
In February 2026 I was on a slightly sneaky break visiting family and, amongst other things, cross-country skiing. And I have to pause and say that sentence again because there was a time when I simply would not have believed it possible.
In 2013 (and 2014, 2015, 2016 and 2017) I didn’t think I would ever be pain-free enough to walk comfortably around the block — let alone clip on a pair of skis.
Back then, my world felt small. My body felt unreliable. And everything hurt.
When Everything Feels Dangerous
Living with fibromyalgia wasn’t just about pain. It was about a system on constant high alert.
Almost every sensation felt threatening. A movement. A loud noise. A busy day. Even an over-full stomach. My nervous system interpreted these neutral experiences as danger. And when the brain perceives danger, the body reacts.
Muscles tighten. Breathing changes. Heart rate shifts. We move into fight, flight or freeze.
For me, that state became the default. My system was dysregulated — constantly bracing, constantly scanning, constantly reacting.
At the time, I didn’t understand that my nervous system had learned these patterns. I didn’t understand how previous life events, stress and trauma had shaped my neural pathways. I didn’t understand how stress was influencing my neuromusculoskeletal function — how my brain and body were working together to keep me in protection mode.
I just knew I was exhausted and in pain.
Understanding the Nervous System Changes Everything
The turning point for me came when I began to understand pain through a different lens.
I learned that persistent pain is often not a sign of ongoing tissue damage, but of a sensitised, overprotective nervous system. I began to see how my brain had laid down strong neural pathways around “danger.”
Discovering the SIRPA approach and pain reprocessing principles gave me practical tools. I started learning how to:
- Reprocess pain signals
- Use somatic tracking to observe sensations without fear
- Work with emotional regulation
- Build a genuine sense of internal safety
Instead of fighting my body, I began working with it.
Instead of bracing against sensation, I practised pausing.
Instead of reacting automatically, I created space.
That pause — that tiny gap between sensation and reaction — was revolutionary.
It didn’t happen overnight. It took patience, repetition and support. But gradually, the automatic “danger” response softened. My muscles became less chronically tight. My nervous system became less reactive. And over time, my neuroplastic pain reduced.
Eventually, I became pain-free most of the time.
I didn’t believe that would be possible. But I am not alone in that kind of recovery.
So What Has Skiing Got To Do With It?
In February I was learning (or re-learning!) a physical skill. Cross-country skiing requires coordination, balance, rhythm and awareness. It demands that you feel into your body.
And what struck me most was this:
I can now notice sensations without panicking.
I can feel effort without interpreting it as threat.
I can wobble without spiralling into fear.
Years ago, the sensations involved in skiing — muscle effort, cold air in my lungs, elevated heart rate — would have triggered my system. My brain would have shouted: This is dangerous. And my body would have reacted accordingly.
Now, I can feel a sensation and — often — insert a pause before my body reacts.
Not always. I’m still human. But often.
That pause is the foundation of pain reprocessing and somatic tracking. It is the beginning of changing long-standing neural pathways that were created in situations that felt unsafe.
And when those pathways change, the body changes too.
Change Is Possible
If you are living with persistent pain, and you feel as though your world has shrunk, I want you to know this:
Your nervous system learned these patterns. And what is learned can be relearned.
Pain that has become neuroplastic — driven by sensitised neural circuits — is not a life sentence. It is a protective mechanism that has become overactive.
With the right understanding, support and tools, it can soften.
I never believed I would ski again.
But here I am.
If you’re curious about how this works — about pain reprocessing, somatic awareness, and changing your relationship with pain — follow along. Ask questions. Stay open.
You might be surprised at what your nervous system is capable of.
And perhaps, one day, you’ll find yourself doing something you once thought was impossible.
Change Your Pain.
— Pippa
Osteopathy For All
