Migraines and Neuroplasticity as it Relates to Pain Reprocessing Therapy
Migraines and neuroplasticity are deeply interconnected, especially in the context of Pain Reprocessing Therapy (PRT), which is built on the principle that the brain can “unlearn” chronic pain patterns. Here’s how it connects:
1. Understanding Migraines Through a Neuroplastic Lens
Migraines aren’t just vascular events; they’re increasingly understood as a brain-based disorder involving altered sensory processing. This includes:
Heightened sensitivity to stimuli (light, sound, smell)
Hyperexcitability in brain regions like the thalamus, somatosensory cortex, and insula
Dysfunction in pain modulatory systems (e.g., reduced descending inhibition)
Over time, repeated migraine episodes may cause the brain to “learn” or reinforce pain pathways—this is maladaptive neuroplasticity.
2. Pain Reprocessing Therapy (PRT) and Migraines
PRT is grounded in the idea that chronic pain (including some forms of migraines) can become a learned brain response rather than just a signal of tissue damage or physical dysfunction.
PRT works by:
Helping the brain reinterpret pain signals as safe
Interrupting fear-pain loops
Encouraging new, healthier neural pathways using mindfulness, somatic tracking, and reappraisal
In migraines, this could involve:
Recognizing early symptoms without fear
Interrupting catastrophic thinking (“I’m going to be out for days”)
Creating new associations (e.g., calming instead of bracing when pain arises)
3. Neuroplasticity in Action
Chronic migraine sufferers may develop heightened vigilance and fear toward any trigger or prodrome. This reinforces the brain’s pain circuits. PRT helps leverage positive neuroplasticity to:
Downregulate the “threat” value of migraine symptoms
Reduce sensitivity to triggers by removing the fear-response
Potentially decrease frequency and intensity over time
4. Research & Clinical Perspective
While PRT is most researched in back pain (e.g., Ashar et al., 2021), its principles are applicable to other centralized pain conditions, including migraines—especially those not responding well to traditional treatments.
In clinical practice, when migraine sufferers begin to change their relationship to the pain, the brain starts to “unlearn” the pattern, and symptoms may become less frequent or severe.