When your back hurts, the first thing you assume is damage: a slipped disc, a pinched nerve, maybe some degeneration or wear and tear.
It makes intuitive sense. After all, most pain in the body works this way—injury leads to pain. But chronic back pain is different.
To the surprise of many doctors and patients, research from Harvard and others reveals that there’s often no meaningful correlation between spinal structure and pain.
The Scan Problem
Multiple studies have shown that people with severe back pain often have “normal” imaging results—while people with scary-sounding MRI reports often feel totally fine.
A 2015 review in the American Journal of Neuroradiology found that:
- 68% of pain-free people in their 40s had disc degeneration
- 50% had disc bulges
- 33% had herniations
And the numbers only go up with age.
Harvard Health Publishing summarized the problem like this:
“There simply isn't a close connection between the condition of the spine and whether or not people experience pain.”
— Harvard Health Blog
A Global Paradox
In wealthier countries with ergonomic workstations, memory-foam mattresses, and unlimited medical imaging, back pain is skyrocketing.
Meanwhile, in rural regions of developing nations—where people perform heavy manual labor all day—chronic back pain is relatively rare.
The contradiction has forced researchers to ask a new question:
What if chronic back pain isn’t primarily about injury…
but about how our nervous system processes stress, fear, and emotion?
What Actually Helps
A randomized trial published in JAMA Internal Medicine followed 320 adults with chronic low back pain. They were assigned to:
- An 8-week mindfulness course
- An 8-week cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) course
- Or a standard medical care control group
The results were striking:
Participants in both mind-based groups saw significantly greater reductions in pain—and the improvements lasted a full year.
Why It Matters
Fear and emotional tension appear to amplify and sustain pain signals in the brain and body.
Which means:
- The way you think about pain matters
- The emotions you suppress may be fueling it
- And the solution may live in your brain—not your spine
What The Makepeace Method Adds
We take this science seriously. The Makepeace Method helps you understand the role of the brain and nervous system in your pain—and gently teaches your system it’s safe to stand down.
No gimmicks. No pseudoscience. Just truth, clarity, and permission to heal.
Sources:
https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/mind-back-pain-201605049517
Keep learning
Stanford Reduced Chronic Back Pain in Just One 2-Hour Class
A two-hour neuroscience education class at Stanford helped chronic pain patients reduce symptoms as much as weeks of therapy. Understanding how the brain misinterprets signals allowed participants to feel safe again—and that’s when the pain subsided.
Take This 1-Minute Back Pain Self-Test
If your pain moves around, worsens with stress, or fades when you’re distracted, it may not be structural at all. This short self-test helps you recognize patterns that point to a nervous system stuck in ‘protect’ mode—and how to begin calming it down.
The Harder You Try to Fix It, The Worse It Gets
The endless search for fixes—new stretches, supplements, devices—often keeps the brain focused on danger. Real recovery begins when you stop trying to “fight” the pain and start teaching your brain that it’s safe to relax again.
Real people. Real relief.
These are real stories from people who were stuck in pain—until they tried the Makepeace Method. Now they're free.
One day, you bend down to pick up a sock—and your back goes out.
“Knowing what I know now, I regret having back surgery.”
“I feel so much better — and I’m grateful this exists.”
“This took my pain from a 9 or 10 down to a 1 or 2.”
“After doing the program, I got up from my desk one day and the pain and tingling were just gone.”
“I've had significant improvements in my pain levels. I now feel confident about managing my back health.”
“This method makes a complex idea easy to implement. Bottom line: I’m feeling much better.”
“I was bedridden for weeks. Now the pain is gone, and when it flares, I can shut it off.”
“I was a massage therapist for 30 years. Several weeks ago I started an excruciating ordeal with back pain. The Makepeace Method was life changing for me. My back has improved tremendously. Thank you a million times over.”
“I loved your course. It was a blessing listening to your videos. It has given me hope on my healing journey.”
“I had been truly suffering for months. Within a few days, I was moving freely again. Thank you.”
You've done your time in pain. Now take your life back.
You’ve fought hard and tried it all, but the burden was never yours to carry forever. Your brain is ready to reset, your body to feel safe again. Pain is not who you are - it’s time to reclaim your life.
