Whoever said, “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me,” apparently never encountered a healthcare service or provider that addressed their concerns with negative, pain-related words. While sticks and stones may cause more physical harm, research has proven that words can significantly impact how we perceive pain.
Imagine sitting in the doctor’s office with hypothetical low back pain for the past three months with activity. Your doctor walks in and starts the conversation with, “You have the spine of an 80-year-old,” or “it’s bone on bone,” or, worst of all, “if you continue with your current activity level, you will need surgery”. Any of these descriptors, while maybe unintentional, will lead you to believe there is only bad news and that every outcome includes continued pain. The wording we utilize as healthcare providers before, during, and after medical intervention can significantly affect the individuals perceived level of pain and discomfort. While physical dysfunction hasn’t changed, psychological dysfunction has now skyrocketed.
In a 2019 Brain and Behavior journal article, researchers examined how negative vs. neutral words affected cortical processing and subjective pain ratings following a noxious stimulus. They were able to examine various pain processing centers within the brain in real-time using an fMRI machine. They found that individuals who were addressed with words that harm (negative) prior to a noxious stimulus were shown to have significantly higher subjective pain ratings and stronger activation of painful cortices within the brain observed during fMRI. This was opposed to words that heal (neutral) which had little to no effect on changes in the perceived rating of pain or fMRI results. These results prove that words do, in fact, harm and can influence individuals’ pain perception, regardless of the physical dysfunction present.
Now, let’s revisit that same doctor’s office. As you walk in, you are now greeted with, “These are normal physiological changes,” “there is great room for opportunity,” and most importantly, “let’s work together to modify your abilities.” As you may imagine, this doctor’s office will likely find improved outcomes, and their client’s symptoms will resolve much quicker due to the reassurance and ability to provide words that heal vs words that harm.
If you are looking for a provider who has an optimistic, non-invasive approach, send us an appointment request!
