Is persistent pain a blessing or a curse? The answer depends on something we cannot yet see: the rest of the story. Drawing on an ancient Taoist parable, this article explores uncertainty, suffering and why today’s pain does not have to define tomorrow.

Last week our review (A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis Examining the Effect of Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction on Pain Severity and Quality of Life in People Living With Fibromyalgia) was published in the European Journal of Pain! This blog summarises: What we asked; how we tried to answer our question; what mindfulness based stress reduction (MBSR) is; what pain catastrophising is; what the findings were in a nutshell; and whether the findings apply to you.

In healthcare, we are often told to treat others as we would like to be treated. The Platinum Rule improves on this by reminding us to consider what the other person actually wants. But what if these two principles are not in competition? In persistent pain care, ethical practice may depend less on following rules and more on loosening the assumptions we identify with. When understanding deepens, the Golden and Platinum Rules begin to converge.

Persistent pain isn’t just about the body tissues, it’s also about the brain’s predictions. Predictive processing shows us that pain is shaped by expectations as much and sometimes more than sensations. When the brain strongly expects pain, pain can be felt even without ongoing damage. The good news? By updating these predictions through education, mindfulness, safe movement, and context shifts, you can help your brain write a new, less painful story.

New research shows self-compassion reduces depression, anxiety, and disability in chronic pain. Learn how kindness to self can rewire the brain for relief.

Discover the best mindfulness app for starting your practice and how to avoid the pitfall many people run into when they start meditating.

Mindfulness is more than a buzzword—it’s a science-backed method for retraining the brain, reducing stress, and managing pain.